«4^  READ,  RECITE 
IMPERSONATL 


=^ 


/< 


(^  AC^-j^ 


•1^ 


A 


HOW  TO  READ, 


RE(3ITE*pIMPEI(S0MT 


BY 


E.  B.   WARMAN,  A.  M. 


AUTHOR    OF 


Principles  of  Pronunciation"  in  'Worcesters  Dic- 
tionary.    Practical    Orthoepy  and  Critique. 
Physical  Training.     Warman  on 
the  Voice.     Etc.     Etc. 


'i4  Book  is  valuable  not  for  the  thought  it  contains,  hut 
for  that  which  it  su^ff^sts." 


'*.*.   *  *  t   *    *' 


CHICAGO: 

M.  A.  DONOHUE  &   CO. 

407-429  Dearborn  St. 


CD 


0 


ro  

■"  Page. 

-•'    Article  A 100 

'"     Article  The 100 

Bible  Reading 130 

Bowing 105 

Conjunctions 9S 

Declamatory  vs.  Natural 104 

Dimness  of  Sight,  Obscurity,  Etc 84 

Dropping  The  Tone 86 

Emphasis 11 

Exclamations 31 

_^    Explanatory  Sentences 91 

Eye 79 

^    Eye  Educated 80 

£  Eye  to  Audienck 80 

Eye  ys.  Eak 82 

Fitting  The  Garment 87 

Flexibility 59 

Grammatical  Period  ys.  Period  ok  Thought 48 

Hesitancy 60 

Hymn  Reading 160 

Immediately  Connected  Emphatic  Words 64 

Impersonation 72 

Impersonation  ys.  Narration 73 

Indiyiduality 101 

INFLECTIONS 22 

-^  Assuming  ys.  Asserting , 34 

*  Continuity 30 

c 
_X  Detached 26 

(^  Falling  Suspensiye 21 

Grouped 26 

Irony,  Sarcasm,  Etc 23 

Q  Opposition  ok  Meaning 23 

I—  Prospectiye 24 

-r.  HI 


¥ 


V 


tA^  CONTENTS. 

Weakness  vs.  Strength 23 

Will  Asserted 25 

Will  Deferred 25 

Interrogations 20 

Interrogatory  Sentences 17 

Links  of  a  Chain 58 

Literalness 65 

Mannerisms 102 

Negatives 63 

Parenthetical  Sentences 94 

Personal  Grief 89 

Poetry 52 

Poises  vs.  Pauses 52 

Projection  of  The  Tone 85 

Pulpit  Eloquence 177 

Punctuation  vs.  Pauses 45 

Quotations 76 

READING,  RECITING  and  IMPERSONATING 68 

Readings 70 

Recitations 70 

Impersonations 72 

Sacrificing  Nature 90 

Soliloquies 77 

Sound  vs.  Sense 103 

STRESS 38 

Radical 38 

Median 40 

Terminal 42 

Thorough 44 

Intermittent 44^ 

Compound 44 

Subordination 16 

Suspension 62 

Tangible  Objects 28 

True  and  False  Elocution 108 

Unfamiliar  Terms 98 

Words  That  Echo  The  Sense 89 


PREFACE. 


We  present  this  treatise  as  the  result  of  years 
of  experience  and  observation ;  not  alone  as  the 
public  reader  upon  the  rostrum,  but  in  those 
closer  relations  of  teacher  and  pupil  which  serve 
to  make  these  pages  practical. 

Many  years  ago  in  the  Boston  University 
School  of  Oratory,  that  great  and  good  man, 
the  late  Prof.  Lewis  B.  Monroe,  said  to  the 
author:  "We  do  not  leave  this  world  till  our 
time  comes ;  but  if  our  work  is  unfinii^bcd ,  the 
mantle  will  fall  on  some  one  else,  that  he  may 
complete  it  for  us.  You,  nn'  fi'iend,  are  espec- 
ially called  to  this  branch  of  work,  and  you  are 
sure  of  success,  for  your  energy  links  with  it  the 
high  ideal  of  the  art  j^ou  represent.  I  have  no 
fear  that  you  will  ever  pander  to  the  tastes  of 

(5) 


6  PREFACE. 

those  who  fail  to  discriminate  between  the  true 
and  the  false. " 

This  man — whom  to  know  was  to  love — has 
passed  "  the  bound  of  life  where  we  lay  our  bur- 
dens dowm,"  and  he  has  left  "  the  cross  "  only  to 
gain  "the  crown."  His  influence  still  remains, 
and  ever  ^vill  remain,  with  his  pupils,  and  more 
especially  with  those  of  us  who  were  so  favored 
as  to  be  brought  more  completel}^  within  his 
soul's  radiation  by  a  nearness  of  association 
not  known  in  the  class-room.  To  him  the 
author  is  largely  indebted  for  instruction,  hints 
and  suggestions  dropped  by  the  wa}-,  which, 
added  to  his  previous  and  later  experience,  he 
has  endeavored  to  put  in  such  form  that  "He 
w^ho  runs  may  read." 

The  question  is  often  asked,  "  To  what  extent 
shall  we  carry  the  matter  of  expression  in  the 
school-room?" 

General  school  reading,  of  all  grades,  requires 
that  heed  should  be  given  to  the  distinctive 
utterance  of  all  the  elements ;  to  the  quality  of 
the  voice ;  to  the  erect  position  of  the  body ;  and 


PREFACE. 


to  the  training  of  the  eye  in  looking  up  from  the 
book.  Make  the  scenes  Hve  again,  at  least  make 
them  suggestive,  without  striking  attitudes  or 
resorting  to  gesticulation.  Reserve  those  things 
for  oratorical  contests  and  "commencements." 

Do  not,  however,  go  to  the  other  extreme 
and  think  it  merely  necessary  to  call  the  words. 
Give  them  life  and  meaning.  Reading  without 
emotion  is  what  drawing  is  to  painting — merely 
an  outline.  Get  into  the  atmosphere  of  the 
selection  before  you  attempt  to  breathe  it  out 
on  those  around  3'ou.  This  may  all  be  accom- 
plished without  the  much  dreaded  elocution 
entering  the  school-room. 

To  the  public  reader,  or  speaker,  there  are 
three  essential  requisites  which  he  should  en- 
deavor to  possess, 

1.  The    thought   should    be    under   perfect 

control. 

« 

2.  The  body  should  be  under  perfect  control. 

3.  The  voice  should  be  under  perfect  control. 
This    manual    is    intended    to  meet   the  re- 
quirements of  the  Brst  essential  element.    Its 


8  PREFACE. 

mission  is  to  serve  as  an  aid  to  the  student  in 
the  analysis  of  thought,  whether  he  is  still  with- 
in the  walls  of  the  school  or  college,  or  whether 
he  has  taken  upon  himself  the  responsibilities  of 
the  |:iilpit  or  of  the  rostrum  or  of  the  stage ;  for 
one  should  never  cease  to  be  a  student. 

Knowing  that  the  books  upon  the  subject  of 
reading  which  flood  the  market  to-day  have 
only  partially  dealt  with  the  principles  of  read- 
ing, of  voice,  and  of  gesture,  combining  them  in 
one — frequently  with  numerous  selections — we 
have  concluded  to  devote  these  ■ps.ges  exclusively 
to  the  practical  principles  of  reading;  with  prac- 
tical applications  of  every  rule  given.  There  will, 
therefore,  be  nothing  in  this  volume  concerning 
voice  culture  or  gesture,  as  we  consider  each  of 
these  of  such  value  as  to  require  such  full  and 
special  treatment  as  we  have  given  to  this 
subject. 

In  view  of  this  fact  and  this  need,  we  have  in 
press  a  volume  devoted  exclusively  to  the  voice 
— how  to  train  it,  and  how  to  care  for  it;  also, 
a  manual  devoted  exclusively  to  gestures  and 


PREFACE.  9 

attitudes,  and  to  the  general  bearing  of  the 
body,  according  to  the  Delsartean  theory.  These 
books,  Hke  the  present  one,  will  contain  no  se- 
lections, but  will  be  purely  practical,  enabling 
the  reader  or  speaker  to  place  his  voice  and 
body  under  such  perfect  control  that  both  will 
act  in  harmony  with  the  spontaneous  outbursts 
of  nature,  without  causing  the  speaker  to  think 
of  or  make  perceptible  the  mechanism  necessary 
to  produce  the  required  rcsidts.  This  little 
volume  will  be  found  to  be  invaluable  as  a  text- 
book  for  the  student,  for  the  teacher,  and  for 
the  public  reader  or  speaker.  It  will  not  only 
aid  in  divining  the  thought,  but  will  be  of  use  in 
clothing  it  with  the  proper  expression. 

THE  AUTHOR. 


HOW  TO  READ, 

RECITE     AND     IMPERSONATE. 


Reading,  to  be  effective,  should  be  natural ; 
not  necessarily  natural  to  the  reader,  but  to  the 
thought  to  be  expressed.  Read  as  you  talk — 
but  on  the  condition  that  you  trdk  well.  It  is 
essential  that  the  reader  should  get  into  the 
atmosphere  surrounding  the  author  (or  sug- 
gested by  the  selection)  ere  he  attemps  its  ex- 
pressive rendering.  There  must  Ijc  //72pression 
before  there  can  be  CA'pression,  otherwise  the 
reading  will  be  but  the  calling  of  words.  We 
should  not  utter  words  as  words,  but  thoughts 
as  thoughts. 

Carefully  consider  the  fundamental  principles 
of  ex^jression.  The  most  important,  and,  con- 
sequently, the  first  to  which  youi:  attention 
is  invited,  is 

EMPHHSIS. 

Every  sentence  contains   one  or    more  em- 
eu) 


12  HOW    TO    READ, 

phatic  words.  In  order  to  determine  the  same, 
you  inust  come  en  rapport  with  the  author. 
A  clear  perception  is  essential  to  a  good 
performance. 

How  shall  \ve  determine  the  emphatic  word 
in  a  sentence  ? 

Rule. — The  emphatic  word  is  the  thought 
word,  1.  e.,  the  word  containing  the  principal 
thought. 

When  the  subject  has  been  introduced,  the 
new  idea  becomes  the  epiphatic  word.  There 
maybe  some  difference  of  opinion  as  to  this  new 
idea;  hence  w^e  will  offer  two  tests  which  w411 
serve  as  true  guides. 

TEST    I. 

The  emphatic  word  in  a  sentence  is  the  one 
than  can  least  of  all  be  dispensed  with  and 
retain  the  thought. 

TEST   n. 

The  emphatic  word  —  by  transposing  the 
words  in  a  sentence — can  be  made  the  climac- 
teric ^vord. 

To  apply  these  tests,  we  will  quote  a  few  lines 
from  "Sale  of  Old  Bachelors." 


RECITE    AM)    IMI'EKSONATE.  13 

EXAMPLE    I. 

"  It  seemed  that  a  law  had  been  recently  made 
That  a  tax  on  old  bachelors'  pates  should  be  laid." 

The  Italicized  words  are  the  new  ideas ;  the 
thought  words ;  the  words  that  cannot  be  dis- 
pensed with  and  retain  the  thought.  We  will 
make  them  the  climacteric  words. 

"  It  seemed  that  recently'  had  been  made  a  law 
That  on  old  bachelors'  pates  should  be  laid  a  tax." 

or, 
"That  a  tax  should  be  laid  on  the  pates  of  old  bachelors." 

Suggestion.  —  When  any  paragraph  or  stanza 
is  in  dispute,  place  the  same  upon  a  blackboard, 
and  underscore  those  words  considered  em- 
phatic ;  also  place  therewith  the  marks  of 
inflection  which  Avere  given  to  the  words  when 
taken  with  the  context.  Erase  all  the  other 
words ;  those  remaining  should  so  completely 
contain  the  thought  that,  should  any  one  enter 
the  room,  he  would  be  able — by  the  words  and 
inflections  before  him — so  to  comprehend  the 
thought  as  to  fill  the  ellipses  with  his  own  lan- 
guage, thus  making  the  stanza  or  jDaragraph 
complete. 

Note. — Bear  in  mind  that  the  stress  should  always  be 
given  to  the  accented  syllabic  of  the  emphatic  word. 


14  HOW    TO    READ, 

We  will  give  another  and  an  excellent  method. 

Sug-g-estion. — While  reading,  imagine  before 
you  one  partiallj^  deaf,  so  much  so  that  it  would 
necessitate  making  the  ne-w  ideas  or  thought 
words  quite  salient ;  so  salient  that,  were  he  to 
hear  none  other  than  the  emphatic  words  and 
their  respective  inflections,  he  would  have  no 
difficulty  in  grasping  the  entire  thought. 

This  subject  is  of  such  importance  that  we 
will,  herewith,  make  a  practical  application  of 
this  method. 

A  pupil  may  insist  upon  emphasizing  the 
word  "pates,"  while  another  thinks  it  should 
be  the  w^ord  "laid."  Now  call  to  your  aid  the 
deaf  person.    He  hears 

law — tax — pates 

versus 

law  —  tax — laid 

Mark  the  result.  Inasmuch  as  emphasis  is 
is  founded  upon  contrast,  the  deaf  person  will 
naturally  seek  a  contrast  to  the  w^ord  pates ; 
hence  it  is  not  surprising  to  hear  him  say,  "  Wh}- 
did  thej^  not  make  a  law  to  put  the  *  tax '  on 
some  one's  '  feet  ? '  I  wonder  upon  whose '  pates  ' 
it  was  'laid?  '  "  Or  on  the  other  hand  he  ma}' 
say  —  if  "laid"  is  made  emphatic — "they  were 


RECITK    AND    IMPERSONATK.  15 

ver>^  kind  to  have  the  'law'  signify  that  the 
'tax'  must  be  'laid.''  I  wonder  why  they  did 
not  thro\v\t !  "  Another  appHcationof  the  tests 
of  emphasis  may  be  found  in  the  following 
h\'mn : 

EXAMPLE   n. 

•'  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood. 
Drawn  from  ImmnffueVs  veins." 

We  have  marked  the  emphatic  words ;  the 
new  ideas  ;  the  words  that  cannot  be  dispensed 
with  and  retain  the  thought.  In  nine  tenths  of 
cases  the  emphasis  in  second  line  is  placed  on  the 
w^ord  "  veins."  The  blood  implies  the  veins ;  the 
word  veins  can  be  wholly  dispensed  with,  with- 
out detriment  to  the  thought, 

TEST. 

Fountain  —  blood  —  Immanuel 

versus 

Fountain  —  blood  —  veins. 

The  question  naturally  arises,  "What  is  to  be 
done  with  the  words  that  are  not  wholly  essen- 
tial to  the  expression  of  the  thought  ?  " 

They  should  be  subordinated. 


16  HOW    TO    READ, 

SUBORDINATION. 

Rule. — Whatever  is  subordinate  in  meaning, 
should  be  subordinate  in  pitch. 

EXAMPLE. 

The  words  following  "law,"  tax,"  "bachelors,"  and 
the  words  following  "fountain"  and  "Immanuel,"  should 
be  subordinated. 

The  main  cause  of  the  lack  of  good  reading 
in  our  public  schools  is  due,  largely,  to  either  a 
lack  of  know^ledge  when  to  subordinate  certain 
ideas,  or  the  inahiUty  so  to  do.  We  may  know 
what  are  the  subordinate  ideas,  yet  be  unable 
to  vocally  control  them.  There  is  but  one  way 
out  of  this  difficulty,  and  in  securing  that  we 
shall  be  able  to  remove  one  of  the  greatest 
stumbling-blocks  from  the  path  of  reading;  viz., 
monotony  and,  consequently,  lack  of  expression. 

Rule. — The  emphatic  word  should  be  taken 
out  of  the  level  of  all  subordinate  words,  either 
preceding  or  succeeding  it. 

The  tendency  is  to  let  the  emphatic  word  slip 
directly  off  from  the  level  of  the  preceding 
vv'ords.  We  vv^ill  take,  for  example,  one  of  the 
lines  previously  quoted,  and  diagram  it  as  it 
should  be  given. 


kliClTE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  17 

EXAMPLE. 


1 111%, 


Drawn  from  '^ 

instead  of  ^-s. 

Drawn  from  Immamicl's  veins. 


The  endeavor  to  emphasize  the  word  from 
the  level  of  the  preceding  ones  will  bring  some 
unimportant  word  to  the  notice  of  the  hearer, 
thus  making  the  wrong  word  emphatic,  and 
thereby  wholly  destroj'ing  the  sense.  By  mak- 
ing a  slight  poise  in  the  voice  just  preceding  the 
accented  syllable  of  the  emphatic  word,  it  will 
not  be  difficult  to  make  that  word  quite  salient; 
and  when  this  is  done,  the  subordinate  ideas 
will  readily  drop  to  their  places,  and  will  be  dis- 
tinctly heard  without  detracting  from  the 
thought  word. 

We  will  give  another  illustration,  which  will 
not  only  serve  as  a  test  of  emphasis,  but  will 
make  cL-ar  all  the  preceding  points,  besides 
introducing  the  rule  for  interrogations. 


INTERROGATORY   SENTENCES. 

Zenobia  has  been  arraigned  by  hor  people  on 
the  charge  of  ambition.     She  acknowledges  the 


28  HOW    TO    READ, 

charge,  saying: 

"  I  am  charged  with  pride  and  ambition.  The  charge  is 
true  and  I  glory  in  its  truth." 

The  second  "truth  "  is  here  an  old  idea,  and, 
as  such,  is  subordinated  to  "glory."  "And  I 
glory  in  its  truth." 


'And  I     % 


<> 


But  we  pass  to  the  sentence  of  which  we 
spoke,  as  including  all  the  preceding  rules,  and 
we  will  illustrate  the  one  of  interrogations. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  Does  it  not  become  a  descendant  of  the  Ptolemies  and 
of  Cleopatra?" 

Considering  the  fact  that  she  is  known  by 
her  people  to  be  a  descendant  of  the  Ptolemies 
and  of  Cleopatra,  that  thought  becomes  subor- 
dinate to  another  which  is  expressed  in  just  one 
word.  Let  us  look  at  it  a  moment.  The  ques- 
tion hinges  wholly  upon  the  fact  of  such  pride 
and  ambition  becoming  a  descendant  of  such 
royal  blood.  Hence  that  one  word  "become" 
will  serve  as  a  test — such  as  may  satisfactorily 


KECITli    AND    IMPERSONATE. 


19 


be  given  to  all  cm]jhalic  words— to  prove  that. 


The  emphatic  word  is  ^ 


1 .  The  thought  word. 

2.  The  new  idea. 

8.    The  word  that  cannot   be   dis- 
pensed with. 

4-.    Tlie  word   that  the   deaf   man 
must  hear. 

5.    The   word    that    can  be   made 
climacteric. 

G.    The  word  to   which   all    others 
are  subordinated. 


We  will  diagram  it,   and  thus  illustrate  the 
fact: 


l.c'""'"c.,, 


"Does  it  not 


'e.5c, 


■^rjcj. 


^tit 


^tc. 


Thus  the  word  "become" — by  being  closely 
joined  to  the  preceding  thought — may  be  so 
spoken  as  to  give  the  whole  idea.  It  can  be 
made  the  climacteric  word  by  transposition, 
which  will  in  no  way  interfere  with  thethought, 
or  with  the  inflection. 

EXAMPLE. 

A  descendant  of  the  Ptolemies  and  of  Cleopatra  does  it 


not  become  ? 


20  HOW    TO    READ, 

What !  give  it  a  falling  inflection  when  it  can 
be  answered  by  yes  or  no  ?  Decidedly  so  in  this 
case,  or  in  any  case  where  the  question  is  not 
asked  for  information,  or  where  the  answer  is 
predetermined  in  the  mind  of  the  questioner. 


INTERROGHTIONS. 

Rule. — If  you  defer  to  the  will  or  knowledge 
of  others,  as  in  preceding  example,  give  a  rising- 
infection.  If  3'ou  nssert  your  own  will,  give  a 
falling  inflection. 

By  the  latter  inflection,  Zenobia  did  not 
admit  of  any  doubt  in  the  matter,  and  by  her 
imperativeness  did  not  allow  her  people  to  ques- 
tion it  a  moment,  but  asserted  her  will  Avith 
such  dignity  and  grace  as  to  have  them  readiU^ 
coincide  with  her. 

This  method  of  handling  the  interrogatorv 
sentences  is  of  inestimable  value : 

1.  To  the  teacher  when  conducting  a  school. 

2.  To  the  minister  when  addressing  a  con- 
gregation. 

3.  To  the  laMwer  when  appealing  to  a  jur\'. 

4.  To  the  politician  ^vhen  haranguing  the 
masses. 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  21 

EXCLflMfiTIONS. 

E:x.clamatory  sentences,  like  interrogatives, 
are  governed  in  their  inflections  by  the  matter 
of  assertion  or  deference. 

In  addressing  the  Deity,  there  should  always 
be  deference;  in  speaking  of  the  Deity,  there 
should  alwa^'s  be  reverence. 

Rule. — When  speaking  to  any  one,  give  a  ris- 
ing" infiQction  ;  when  speaking  of  any  one,  give  a 
falling  inflection . 

EXAMPLE    1. 

"Jesus!    lover  of  my  soul!  " 

EXAMPLE    II. 
"Jesus!  the  dearest  iiamc  on  earth!  " 

EXA.MPLK    III. 
*'  I,  an  itehing  palm  !" 

EXAMPLIC    IV. 
"Chastisement!" 

We  will  next  consider  the  subject  of  inflec- 
tions, and  present  oiu-  diagrams,  and  ex])lan- 
ations  thereof: 


22 


Inflections.  < 


HOW    TO    READ, 

INFLECTIONS. 

Opposition  of  meaning  requires 
opposition  of  inflection. 

Weakness  vs.  Strength. 

Irony,  Sarcasm,  etc.  V  A 

Prospective  (doubt)  / 

Retrospective  (positive)  \ 

Will  deferred.  / 

Will  asserted.  \ 

Grouped,     (three  or  more 
thoughts)/ /\ 

Detached,     (three  or  more 
thoughts)  \  \  \ 

Falling  suspensive.  V 

Continuity.  —  .- — -^ 

Assuming  vs.  Asserting.  V  A  / 

Interrogations.  /  \ 

Exclamations.  /  \ 


RECITK    AND    IMPERSONATE.  23 

Opposition  of  Meaning. 

Opposition  of  Inflections. 

Rule. — Whenever  there  is  contrasted  mean- 
ing, there  should  be  contrasted  inflection. 
EXAMPLE.     ("  Poor  Little  Jim.") 

"The  cottage  was  a  thatched  one,  the  outside,  etc. 

V 

But  all  within  that  little  cot,"  etc. 


Weakness  vs.  Strength. 

Rule. — The  continuous  use  of  rising  inflection 
is  indicative  of  weakness — either  nientalh"  or 
physically — on  the  part  of  the  reader  or  speaker. 
Strength,  courage,  firmness,  etc.,  are  character- 
ized b}^  the  falling  inflection. 

EXAMPLE. 

A  beggar  asks  for  alms.    He  defers  to  the  will  or  knowl- 
edge of  the  person  addressed,  and  it  \v\\\  invariablj'  be  with 

the  nsing  inflection.      "Give  nic    a    penny?"      But   when 
Shj'lock  wants  his  bond,  he  asserts  his  will  and  manifests 

his  strength.     T  stay  here  on  my  dond. 


Irony,  Sarcasm,  Etc. 

RlTLE. — All  expressions  of  irony  and  sarcasm 
are  given  cither  with  a  rising  or  with  a  falling 


24  HOW    TO    READ, 

circumBex,   dejjendent  wholly  upon  the  nature 
of  the  context. 

EXAMPLE. 

Indeed.    Indeed. 


Prospective  vs.  Retrospective. 
Rule. — In  the  expression  of  a  thought,  the 
fundamental  part  of  which  is  wrapt  in  doubt, 
the  uncertainty  should  be  expressed  by  a 
rising  inflection ;  but  the  positiveness,  or  cer- 
tainty, should  be  expressed  by  the  falling 
inflection. 

example.     ("  Paul  Revere's  Ride.") 

"  For  suddenly  all  his  thoughts  are  bent 

On  a  shadowy  something  far  away, 
Where  the  river  widens  to  meet  the  bay. — 

A  line  of  black  that  bends  and  floats 

...  >> 

On  the  nsmg  tide,  like  a  bridge  of  boats.  " 

*'  The  word  "  something^^  is  emphatic,  but  as 
he  does  not  know  Avhat  that  "something"  is, 
the  doubt  or  prospective  situation  causes  a 
ris/n^  inflection.  But  he  does  knowthsit  he  sees 
a  line  of  "  black  "  and  that  it  has  the  appearance 
of  ^^ boats,''  in  consequence  of  which  decision  or 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  25 

positii^cncss,  it  should  be  read  with  the  falling- 
inflection  on  these  words. 

The  words  "  Far  away  where  the  river  widens 
to  meet  the  bay  " — are  explanatory,  and  should 
be  treated  as  such,  making  them  wholly  subor- 
dinate to  the  rest  of  the  thought,  not  even 
borrowing  color  from  the  secrecy  of  what  pre- 
cedes or  succeeds. 

EXAMPLE.  NO.  2.     "  The  Face  against  the  Pane." 

"  Four  ancient  fishermen 
In  the  pleasant  autumn  air, 
Came  toiling  up  the  sands, 

^         .       . 

With  something  in  their  hands, — 

Two  bodies,  stark  and  white." 

The  doubt,  as  in  the  preceding  example,  is 
expressed  in  the  word  *^  somctln'ng-^^  by  giving 
it  the  rising-  inflection,  while  the  positivcncss  is 
asserted  as  soon  as  it  is  discovered  what  that 
something  is ;  hence  the  fulling  inflection  is 
placed  on  the  word  "bodies." 


Tl  77/  Deferred,   Will  A  sscrted. 

Rule. — When  deferring  to  the  will  or  knowl- 
edge of  others  give  the  rising  in/leetion ;   when 


26  HOW    TO    READ, 

asserting-  your  own  will,  give  a /aZ/iw^  inflection. 

This  rule  has    previoush^  been  given  when 

dealing  \vith  the  interrogatives,  but  is  used  at 

all  times  in  deciding  points  of  deference  or  will. 

EXAMPLE.     ( ' '  Ride  of  JennieMcNeal ' ' ) 

Carleton. 

"  Madam,  please  give  us  a  bit  to  eat  ?  " 

A  British  officer,  and  a  dozen  or  more  dra- 
goons, enter  the  house  of  a  lad^^  and  her 
daughter,  who  are  living  on  neutral  ground. 
They  want  something  to  cat  and  intend  to  have 
it.  The  officer  therefore  asks  for  it  with  a  fall- 
ing- inflection.  Were  he  to  give  the  rising  inflec- 
tion, he  would  defer  to  her  will,  and  might  be 
refused.  It  is  imperative,  commanding,  and, 
wnthal,  gentlemanl3^ 


Thoughts  Grouped  and  Detached. 
Rule. — Consider  carefully  as  to  whether  the 
author  had  all  the  thoughts  in  his  mind  at  time 
of  writing  the  hrst  one  of  a  series,  or  whether 
they  suggested  themselves  separately.  If  the 
former,  then  they  should  be  grouped  and  so  ex- 
pressed by  giving  a  rising  inflection  on  all  hut 


RECITH    AM)    IMPERSONATE.  27 

the  last.  If  the  thoughts  were  taken  sepa- 
rately then  i\  falllni^  infleetion  should  be  given 
to  each. 

In  our  diagram  it  will  be  observed  that  we 
have  placed  three  inflections  opposite  each  of 
these  forms,  signif3'ing  thereby  three  thoughts 
or  objects.  It  may  be  three  words  or  three 
clauses,  generally  treated  as  a  series.  Our  rule 
will  apply  to  any  number.  VCc  choose  three  for 
the  sake  of  convenience. 

"EXAMPLE.     (Tell's  Address  to  the  Alps.) 

"  O  sacred  forms,  how  prr)ii(l  you  look ! 

How  high  you  lilt  your  liciuls  into  the  sk\'! 

^  >  ^ 

How  huge  you  arc,  how  mighty,  nnd  how  free! 

Ye  lire  the  things  that  tower,  that  shine;  whose  smile 
Makes  glad, — whose  frown  is  terrible ;   whose  forms,  etc." 

As  Tell  gazed  upon  the  mighty  Alps,  it  is 
beyond  controversy  that  these  thoughts  of 
"proud,  high,  huge,  mighty,  free"  were  one  by 
one  suggested  to  him,  and  from  the  fullnessof  his 
heart  he  exclaimed  them,  not  r/cclaimed  them. 
Inasmuch  as  we  deal  with  thoughts  as  with 
tangible  objects  we  may  by  the  use  of  tangible 
objects  more  clearly  illustrate  the  principle. 


28  HOW    TO    READ, 

TANGIBLE  OBJECTS,   ETC. 

Thoughts  grouped  and  thoughts  detached. 

Hold  up  some  object, — a  book,  for  instance. 
Ask  the  pupils  to  tell  you  what  you  hold  in  your 
hand.    They  will  answer,  with  a  falling  inflec- 

tion,  "a  book."  Take  up  another  object — a 
slate.    Repeat  the  question,  and  they  will  again 

answer,  with  a  falling  inflection,  "a  slate." 
Present  still  another  object — a  pencil.  They  will 
answer  you  a  third  time,  or  any  number  of 
times  that  the  articles  are  taken  separately,  with 

a  falling  inflection,  "a  pencil."  This  illustrates 
thoughts  when  taken  separately.  Hold  all  the 
objects  at  one  time  in  the  hand,  in  the  same 
order,  and  repeat  the  question.  The  answer 
will  iuihesitatingl3^  be  given  with  a  rising  inflec- 
tion on  the  first  tw^o  and  a  falling  on  the  last — a 

book,  a  slate  and  a  pencil.  This  illustrates 
thoughts  grouped,  all  being  in  the  mind  of  the 
speaker  or  writer  at  the  time  the  first  one  of  the 
series  is  expressed. 


Falling  Suspensive. 

This  inflection  is  of  the  utmost  importance 
to  the  reader  or  speaker.    It  is  entirely  distinct- 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  29 

ive  from  the  intense  falling  inflection,  or  falling 
inflection  proper.  When  a  thought  is  complete, 
and  you  desire  to  impress  it  upon  your  hearers, 
it  is  best  to  give  the  intense  falling  inflection, 
following  it  with  an  appropriate  pause.  But 
there  are  \vords  and  clauses,  the  effectiveness  of 
which  would  be  utterly  destroyed  were  you  to 
give  the  intense  falling  inflection,  or  wovdd  T)e 
greatly  weakened  Avere  you  to  give  the  rising 
inflection. 

Rule. — Where  it  is  desired  to  impress  b\'  an 
infection,  yet,  Iiokl  the  mind  of  the  hearer  in 
readiness  for  continuous  thought,  while  dwell- 
ing on  other  parts  of  the  picture  that  make  up 
its  entiret\',  it  will  be  necessary  to  give  the  fall- 
ing  inflection  sufficient  to  impress,  but  suspend 
it  just  when  leaving  it,  in  order  to  impress  \t 
and  retain  the  attention. 

EXAMPLE.     ("Revolutionary  Rising.") 

— T.  B.  Read. 

"  And  now  before  the  open  door — 
The  warrior  priest  had  ordered  so — 
The  enlisting  trumpet's  sudden  rorir         • 
Rang  through  the  chapel,  o'er  rind  o'er, 
Its  long,  reverberating  blow ; 


30  HOW    TO    READ, 

So  loud  and  clear,  it  seemed  the  ear 
Of  dustj'  death  must  wake  and  hear. 
And  there  the  startling  drum  and  fife 
Fired  the  living  with  fiercer  life ; 
While  overhead,  with  wild  increase, 
Forgetting  his  ancient  toll  of  peace, 
The  great  bell  swung  as  ne'er  before. 
It  seemed  as  it  w^ould  never  cease ; 
And  everj'-  word  its  ardor  flung 
From  off  its  jubilant  iron  tongue 
Was,  War!  War!  War!" 

Not  an  intense  falling  inflection  should  be 
given  throughout  this  entire  stanza.  The  whole 
scene  is  one  of  continuous  action.  The  trumpet 
continues  its  blowing;  the  reverberations  con- 
tinue in  the  chapel ;  the  drum  and  fife  continue 
to  "  stir  the  living  with  fiercer  life ;  "the  bell,  "  as 
if  it  Avould  never  cease,"  continues  its  warlike 
and  thrilling  vibrations. 


Continuity. 

Closely  allied  to  the  falling  suspensive  "nflec- 
tion  is  ^vhat  may  be  termed  continuity.  Though 
unlike,  in  the  absence  of  a  downward  slide,  it  is 
always  continuous.  It  is  generally  a  rising 
inflection,  though  sometimes  a  monotone. 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  .     31 

Rule. — Continuity  is  expressed  by  the  sug-- 
gestiveness  of  the  words  intended  to  impress 
the  hearer,  with  either  continuous  sound  or 
motion. 

Were  the  falHng  intieetion  to  be  given,  espec- 
ially on  the  marked  words  of  each  of  the  follow- 
ing examples,  it  would  arrest  the  thought  in 
the  mind  of  the  listener,  thus  producing  a  very 
unsatisfactory  result. 

EXAMPLES. 

A  ligbt  hammer,  as  in  Dicken's  "  Cheerful  Locksmith." 
"  Tink,  tink,  link,  clear  as  a  silver  bell!" 
The  waves,  as  in  "  The  Face  against  the  Pane." 
"  And  the  breakers  on  the  l>each 
Making  moan,  making  moan." 
The  wind,  as  in  "  Paul  Reverc's  Ride," 

"Seeming  to  \vhis])er — all  is  wfll." 
The  trees,  as  in  "  The  Face  against  the  Pane." 
"The  willow-tree  is  blown 
To  and  fro,  to  and  fro." 
A  dock,  as  in  "  The  Old  Clock  on  the  Stairs." 
"  Forever — never ! 
Never — forever ! 
A  bell,  as  in  "  Rising  in  177G." 


32  HOW    TO    READ, 

"  And  every  -word  its  ardor  flung 
From  off  its  jubilant  iron  tongue 
Was,  wTTr!  War!  A\'ar!" 

The  inflections  have  a  most  marked  influence 
upon  an  audience. 

You  may  drive  the  thought  home,  you  may 
leave  it  to  the  decision  of  others,  or,  h^-  the  use 
of  this  last  inflection,  the  continuity*  in  the  mind 
of  the  reader  \vill  secure  the  same  continuity  in 
the  mind  of  the  hearer.  ThoLigh  the  speaker's 
voice  has  ceased,  the  in£ection  causes  the  ham- 
mer to  continue  its  cheerful  tinkling;  the  -waves 
their  moaning-;  the  \vincl  Its  sighing;  the  willow- 
tree  its  impressiveness  of  human  form  and 
suffering. 

"Till  it  seems  like  some  old  crone 
^  Standing  out  there  all  alone? 

With  her  woe ! 
Wringing,  as  she  stands, 
Hergannt  and  palsied  hands." 

The  clock  continues  its  ticking,  \vhich  is  ever 
indicative  of 

"  Moumfulness  or  glee, 
Even  as  our  hearts  maj'  be." 


RECITE    AM)    IMPERSONATE.  33 

The  Jjcll  continues  its  ringing,  whether  its 
sound  is  that  of 

"The  mellow  wedding  bells, 
The  loud  alarum  bells, 
The  tolling  of  the  bells," 

or   whether  it   is   sendinjjj    forth   its   particuhir 
creed , 

"  Salvation's  free!  we  tell  I  \vc  tell !  " 

or  breathing  the  notes  of  "  War !  " 

We  \vill  cite  one  more  example  of  continuity 
produced  b3^  the  reader  in  speaking  of  the  clock, 
even  where  it  is  removed  from  the  words  the 
clock  seems  to  utter. 

"  It  echoes  along  the  vacant  hall. 
Along  the  ceiling,  along  the  flot)r." 

The  reader  should,  by  his  inflections  and 
tones,  be  able  to  take  the  hearer  through  all  the 
old  rooms,  and  breathe  ui)on  him  the  joy  or 
sadness,  as  the  case  may  ])e,  and,  in  the  use  of 
the  inflection  of  continuity,  the  ticking  of  the 
clock  shoidd  not  cease,  mentally,  during  the 
rendering  of  any  portion^of  tlic  poem.  In  th'r 
rendition  of  the  above  lines,  we  shoidd  distinctly 


34  HOW    TO    READ, 

near  it  as  it  seems  to  fill  the  hall  with  its  vibra 
tions.  The  reader  \vill  find  that  a  judicious  use, 
fullness  and  continuity  of  the  liquids  (/  nd  r) 
and  nasals  {m,  n,  and  ng)  will  add  greatly  to 
the  charm  of  reading.  We  do  not  wish  to  be 
understood  as  introducing  a  false  elocution;  /.  e., 
playing  with  the  voice,  but  we  desire  that  ther.. 
should  be  a  natural  suggestiveness  that  w/i 
bring  the  picture  vividly  before  A^our  hearers. 
The  general  tendenc}^  is  to  slight  these  nasal 
elements.  Give  to  every  element  its  due  quan- 
tity and  quality;  no  more,  no  less. 


Interrogations — See  page  20. 
Exclamations — See  page  21. 


Assuming  vs.  Asserting. 

Rule. — What  has  been  accepted  as  a  univer- 
sal fact  should  not  be  asserted  hy  a  falling  inflec- 
tion as  though  it  were  unknown,  but  given  with 
a  circumflex,  or,  at  times,  a  rising  inflection, 
thus  assuming  that  your  hearers  possess  the 
knowledge. 


RKCITF,     AND     IMPERSONATE.  3C) 

FXAMPLE  NO.  1.  ("  Evening  at  the  Farm.") 

— /.  T.  Trowbridge. 
"The  striiw's  in  tlic  slack,  the  ha^'  in  the  mow;  " 

We  expect  to  find  just  such  a  condition  of 
things  on  every  well  regulated  rarm;  hence  theie 
should  be  no  assertion  made  by  giving  an  in- 
tense falling  inflection  on  "  stack  "  and  "  mow," 
for  3'ou  should  assume  that  your  hearers  know 
this  to  be  true. 

EXAMPLE  NO.  2.  (Ride  of  Jennie  McNeal.") 

— Carleton. 
"  Piiul  Revere  was  a  rider  bold  ; 
Well  has  his  valorons  deeds  been  told. 
Sheridan's  ride  was  a  glorious  one ; 
Often  it  has  been  dwelt  upon. 
But  why  should  men  do  all  the  deeds 
On  which  the  love  of  a  patriot  feeds  ? 
Hearken  to  nic  while  I  reveal 
The  dnshinjT  ride  of  Jennie  McNeal." 

Instead  of  asserting,  as  is  often  done  bv 
public  readers,  that  Paul  Revere  was  a  rider 
bold,  and  that  Sheridan's  ride  was  a  glorous 
one,  3^ou  should  acknowledge  that  your  hearers 
are  cognizant  of  these  facts.  The  falling  inflec- 
tion given  to  "bold"   and  "glorious"  has  the 


36  HOW    TO    READ, 

effect  of  misleading  your  hearers,  for  it  gives 
them  the  impression  that  they  are  to  hear  more 
concerning  these  men,  whereas  neither  the  men 
nor  the  deeds  are  again  mentioned.  The  names 
"Revere"  and  "Sheridan"  are  brought  in 
marked  contrast  with  "Jennie  McNeal's ;"  hence 
the  reader  should  give  a  circumflex  on  the  last 
syllable  of  "Revere,"  and  the  first  s^'llable  of 
"Sheridan,"— the  accented  sjdlables, — and  a  sus- 
pensive inflection  on  "bold"  and  "glorious." 
The  author  asks  in  tones  of  sarcasm,  (always 
expressed  by  circumflex) 

"But  why  should  men  do  all  these  deeds?" 

He  does  not  intend  that  we  should  put  any 
stress  on  deeds,  but  on  men  as  contrasted  with 
the  heroine.  By  assuming-  the  knowledge  of  the 
audience  concerning  these  men,  there  Vv^ill  be  no 
assertion  made  till  the  heroine  is  introduced. 

The  foregoing  includes  all  practical  rules  on 
inflection.  We  would,  however,  advise  that  the 
ear  be  sufficiently  trained  to  recognize  the  vari- 
ous forms.  A  few  moments  daily,  in  the  prac- 
tice of  examples  given  b)'  the  teacher,  Avill  be 
found  to  be  very  beneficial. 


RECITK    AND    IMPERSOKATE.  3*7 


Take  Italian  A   (i'l)    and    give  a  falling  in 
flection,  each  time  from  a  higher  joitch — 


.ah 


ah 


.ah 


.  ah 


ah 


Take  the  same  from  a  rlsiiii^  inflection,  each 
time  from  n  higher  pitch — 


ah. 


ahi 


ah. 


ah. 


ah. 


Teach  the  fcilling  circumflex  A  by  beginning 
with  a  rising  ah  /,  then  a  falling  ah\  ,  then  join 
them  A . 

Also  teach  rising  circumflex  V  by  beginning 
with  a  falling  ////  \,  then  a  rising  ah  /,  then 
Join  them  V . 


38 


HOW    TO    READ, 


STRESS. 
Emphasis  is  simply  force.  Stress  is  the  man- 
ner of  applying  that  force.  You  may  emphasize 
the  right  word,  but  may  not  emphasize  it 
rightly ;  i.  e.,  not  give  it  the  proper  stress  ;  stress 
also  includes  the  special  quality  of  voice.  There 
are  six  forms  of  stress,  known  by  the  following 
names  and  characters : 


In  Reading. 

In  Music. 

1 

Radical  (initial). 

> 

Explosive. 

o 

■w 

Median  (middle). 

o 

Swell. 

3 

Terminal  (final). 

< 

Crescendo. 

4 

Thorougti  (through). 

= 

Organ  tone 

5 

Compoimd. 

X 

6 

Intermittent  (bro 

ken). 

_.       _       —       _ 

Tremolo. 

RHDICflL  STRESS. 
Rule  (1)  The  radical  stress  (as  the  sign  or 
character  >  indicates)  is  somewhat  explosive  in 
its  nature.  It  may  be  used  in  lig'ht  or  conversa- 
toinal  reading,  and,  when  judiciously  done,  lends 
life  and  sparkle  to  what  would  otherwise  be 
dull,  thus  giving  clearness  and  decision  to  the 
utterance.  It  is  also  used  in  abrupt  or  startling 
emotion,  and  in  the  expression  of  positive 
convictions. 


RKClTi;    AM)    IMPERSONATE.  39 

EXAMPLE  I. 
"  Give  us,  O  give  us  the  man  who  sings  at  his  work." 

EXAMPLE  n. 

Exert  your  talents  and  distinguish  youself,  and  don't 
think  of  retiring  from  the  world  until  the  world  will  be  sorry 
that  you  retire. 

EXAMPLE  III. 

N  V  >. 

"  To  arms!  to  arms!  to  arms!  they  cry, 
Grasp  the  shield  and  draw  the  sword; 
Lead  us  to  Phillippi's  lord: 
Let  us  conquer  him  or  die!  " 

Great  care  should  be  taken,  in  the  use  of  this 
stress,  to  avoid  the  tendency--  to  the  high,  Hght, 
narrow,  contracted  tones  so  often  used  upon  the 
platform  when  addressing  large  audiences, 
thinking  it  necessary  to  raise  the  pitch  of  voice, 
instead  of  increasing  the  po  wer.  The  prevailing 
school-room  tone  is  a  fair  sample  of  the  radical 
stress  misapplied.  The  voice  being  pitched  so 
high  as  to  make  it  cold  and  disagreeable  in  its 
quality,  being  but  a  statement  of  facts,  without 
any  heart  element  in  it,  and  much  less  vitality. 


*0  HOW    TO    READ, 

This  arises,  largely,  from  the  fact  that  the 
schools  develop  the  mental,  at  an  expense  of  the 
moral  (heart)  and  vital  (bodily)  growth. 


MEDIflN  STRESS. 


Rule. — The  Median  Stress  (as  the  charac- 
ter O  indicates)  is  caused  by  a  swelling-  and 
gradual  diminishing  of  the  voice  on  tht  accented 
svllahle  of  the  yvord. 


EXAMPLE. 


O,  precious  hours. 
O,  golden  prime. 


This  stress  represents  the  moral  or  heart 
element,  and  should  penetrate  all  others.  A 
mere  statement  of  facts,  being  exclusively 
mental,  is  of  itself  cold  and  heartless.  The 
purely  mental  deals  with  details,  but  the  moral 
and  vital  never. 

EXAMPLE. 

"Flower  in  the  crannied  \vall ; 
I  pluck  you  out  of  the  crannies; 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  41 

Hold  you  here  root  and  all,  in  my  hand, 

Little  flower— but  if  I  could  understand 
What  )'()u  are,  root  and  all,  and  all  in  all, 

I  should  know  what  God  and  man  is." 
The  tendency  in  school  reading  is  to  give  the 
entire  emphasis  in  this  stanza  by  the  use  of  rad- 
ical stress.  By  so  doing  there  is  a  coldness  per- 
vading it,  a  lack  of  the  heart  element,  so  that, 
when  the  word  "understand  "  is  emphasized,  it 
is  done  in  such  a  way  as  to  lead  one  to  think 
that  the  reader  desires  to  understand  through 
the  head,  exclusive  of  the  heart.  Your  under- 
standing and  knowledge  of  God  should  be 
through  the  heart  as  well  as  the  head.  By  the 
use  of  this  median  stress  we  are  brought  in 
more  direct  S3'mpathy  with  the  author  and 
the  speaker.  This  stress  should  Ijc  used  in 
all  selections  of  an  emotional  nature.  Its  use 
in  conversation  shows  culture  and  refinement; 
the  lack  of  it  is  very  marked.  The  use  of  tlior- 
ough  stress  is  a  sure  indication  of  a  lack  of  re- 
finement. 

EXAMPLK   II. 

"  ir/;o  was  her  father? 
Who  was  her  mother? 


42  HOW    TO    READ, 

Had  she  a  sister? 

Had  she  a  brother? 

Or  was  there  a  dearer  one 

Still,  and  a  nearer  one 

Fet,  than  all  otAer?" 


TERMINfli:  STRESS, 
Rule. — The  terminal  stress — as  the  character 
(<)  indicates,  is  abrupt  at  the  close  of  the 
sound.  It  is  vital  in  its  nature.  It  is  well  illus- 
trated by  the  furious  bark  of  a  dog  when  pre- 
ceded b}^  a  deep  growl.  It  is  as  opposite  to  that 
of  the  mental  as  is  the  bark  of  a  large  dog  to 
that  of  the  little  snapping  cur.  The  one  clearly 
represents  the  vital  tone — terminal  stress — by 
its  breadth,  and  the  force  given  at  the  end;  the 
other  as  clearly  represents  the  mental  tone — 
radical  stress — by  its  narrowness,  and  the  force 
at  the  beginning-. 

EXAMPLE    L 

1 .  "  Blaze,  with  your  serried  columns, 

I  will  not  bend  the  knee." 

EXAMPLE    II. 

2.  "  But  out  upon  this  halt-faced  fellowship." 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  43 

These  three  essential  forms  of  stress  require 
special  attention  before  illustrating  the  three 
that  are  less  used  in  general  reading.  We  desire 
to  impress  more  clearly  and  forcibly  the  different 
degrees  of  pitch  and  quality  of  voice  represented 
by  the  radical,  median  and  terminal  stress. 

These  three  forms  of  stress,  qualities  of  voice, 
and  the  effect  produced  by  each  may  be  well 
illustrated  by  a  pyramid,  thus: 


Stress. 

Quality  of 

Effect  upon 

Voice. 

an  Audience. 

Radical.             / 

\             Mental. 

Disputatious 

Median.            /_ 

\          Moral. 

Emotional. 

Terminal.      / 

\       Vital. 

Antagonistic 

The  intellectual  power  is  of  the  mind. 
The  moral  power  is  of  the  soul. 
The  vital  power  is  of  the  body. 

Inasmuch  as 

The  intellect  is  cold. 
The  heart  is  warm. 
The  passions  are  fiery. 

the  reader  should 

Move  the  passions. 
Touch  the  heart. 
Interest  the  mind. 


44.  now    TO    READ, 

THOROUGH  STRESS. 
Rule. — The  thorough  stress  of  tone,  as  the 
character  (=^=)  indicates,  is  fullness  and  stead- 
iness, used  in  calling  or  shouting  to  such  a 
distance,  as  to  necessitate  a  prolonged  or  sus- 
tained volume  of  voice. 

EXAMPLE    I. 

Boat  ahoy! 

EXAMPLE    II. 

"Forward,  the  Light  Brigade! 
"'  Charge  for  the  guns !  " 


COMPOUHD  STRESS. 
Rule. — The  compound  stress — as  the  charac- 
ter ( >< )  indicates — is  composed  of  the  radical 
and  terminal  stress.    It  is  closely  allied  to  the 
circumflex,  and  it  is  used  in  similar  expressions. 

example. 

"  Hath  a  dog  money  ?  " 


mTERJVLITTENT  STRESS. 
Rule. — The  intermittent  stress —  as  the  char- 
acter ( )    indicates — is    a    broken    or 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  45 

tremulous  quality  of  voice.  It  may  be  used 
with  great  effect  in  the  delineation  of  character, 
when  representing  old  age  or  in  the  expression 
oi  grief. 

EXAMPLE    I. 

"  Pity  the  sorrows  of  a  jKior  old  man, 
Whose  trembling  limbs  have  borne  him  to  your  door." 

EXAMPLE    II. 

"Swift  to  be  hurled— 
Anywhere,  anj' where 
Out  of  the  world!" 


PUNCTUATION  vs,   PAUSES. 

Points  in  writing  and  pauses  in  speaking,  are 
often  at  variance. 

Points  belong  to  the  grammatical  construc- 
tion, pauses  to  the  delivery. 

"Every  selection,  prose  or  poetry,  has  two 
sets  of  punctuation  marks ;  one  visible,  the 
other  invisible ;  one  made  by  the  printer,  the 
other  by  the  reader."  Those  made  by  the  reader 
are  called  pauses  of  thought,  and  shotdd  occur 
wherever  the  thought  demands  a  pause.  No 
rule  can  be  given  as  to  the  length  of  the  pause, 


46  HOW    TO    READ, 

as  it  may  not  always  be  rendered  in  the  same 
manner  by  the  same  reader :  so  entirely  does  it 
depend  upon  the  occasion,  the  surroundings, 
and  the  spirit  of  the  reader,  when  giving  ex- 
pression to  the  thought. 


RHETORICAL  PHUSE 

Rule. — Rhetorical  pause  is  made  either  before 
or  after  the  utterance  of  an  important  thought; 
if  made  before,  it  awakens  curiosity  and  excites 
expectation  as  to  that  which  follows ;  if  it  is 
made  after,  it  carries  the  mind  back  to  that 
which  has  already  been  said. 

EXAMPLE. — (Sheridan's  Ride.) 
"  And  the  ware  of  retreat  checked  its  course  there  because 
The  sight  of  the  master  compelled  it  to  pause." 

To  read  it  as  punctuated,  not  a  pause  till  end 
of  second  line,  would  require  more  care  in  regard 
to  the  breath  than  to  the  sense,  for  the  latter 
would  be  wholly  obscured.  The  emphasis 
should  be  on  the  words  "wave  of  retreat"— as  a 
phrase  word — and  on  the  word  "checked," 
making  the  first  rhetorical  pause  at  the  word 
"checked,"  thus  carrying  the  mind  back  to  what 


RKCITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  47 

has  been  said;  this  part  of  the  picture  is  com- 
plete in  itself,  and  should  be  expressed  with  the 
tailing  suspensive  inflection. 

Place  a  rhetorical  pause  after  the  wo 
"master,"  carrying  the  .lind  more  directly  • 
the  hero.  Follow  this  closely  with  a  full  media-i 
stress  on  the  word  "compelled,"  expressing  it  m 
such  a  manner  as  to  show  the  strong  compuL 
sion.  It  will  be  found  that  the  words  Italicized, 
if  given  with  the  proper  stress  and  pause  or. 
each,  will  tell  the  entire  storj'.  Let  it  be  borne 
in  mind  that  a  rhetorical  pause  will  have  bu< 
little  weight  unless  the  pause  be  filled  witK 
thought.  It  is  only  by  this  continuity  o) 
thought  on  the  part  of  the  reader  that  he  can 
control  the  thought  in  the  mind  of  the  hearer. 

Punctuation  is  essential  to  the  grasping  ot 
the  thought  of  the  author;  nothing  more. 

By  the  punctuation  you,   as  students,  per- 
ceive \hy  the  pauses  you,  as  readers,  interpret. 

EXAMPLE    I. 

Woman  without  her  man  is  a  brute. 

EXAMPLE    IL 
Let  the  toast  be  dear  woman. 


48  HOW    TO    READ, 

We  need  the  punctuation  in  the  above,  to 
guide  us  as  to  the  interpretation. 

They  were  read  by  the  president  of  a  banquet 
as  though  punctuated  thus : — 

1.  "  Woman  without  her  man,  is  a  brute." 

2.  "  Let  the  toast  he,  dear  woman !  " 

but  they  should  be  read  as  follows : — 

1.  Woman !  without  her,  man  is  a  brute. 

2.  Let  the  toast  be — Dear  woman! 

"The  influence  of  our  system  of  grammat- 
ical punctuation,  as  ordinarily  taught,  is  a  cor- 
ruption of  natural  delivery." 

The  old  method  of  counting  so  many  at  a 
comma,  so  many  at  a  colon,  etc.,  was  no  more 
apt  to  destroy  the  sense  of  the  reading  than  is 
the  yet  prevailing  method  of  causing  the  voice 
always  to  fall  at  a  period  or  always  to  rise  at  a 
comma. 


Grammatical  Period  vs.  Period  of  Thought. 
Rule. — When    the    end    of   the    climax    in 
thought  is  reached — no  matter  in  what  part  of 
a  sentence — the  period  should  be  placed  there  in 
the  delivery  of  that  thought. 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  'i'J 

EXAMPLE    I. 

1.    "  I'm  nearer  my  home  to-day 
Than  ever  I've  been  before.  " 

The  words  marked  are  the  emphatic  ones. 
One  of  the  three  words  will  receive  the  strongest 
emphasis. 

If  the  couplet  were  given  in  its  isolated  form, 
the  main  emphasis  would  fall  on  the  word 
"home," — the  new  idea. 

The  word  "  before  "  being  wholly  superfluous 
to  the  thought,  should  receive  no  stress  what- 
ever, and  the  period  in  thought  will  occur 
directly  following  the  strongest  emphatic  word. 
The  word  "been"  includes  "before,"  as  you 
could  not  have  "been"  unless  it  was  "before." 
Transpose  the  sentence,  and  it  will  be  found 
that  the  inflection  and  emphasis  is  in  no  way 
changed. 

I'm  nearer  to-daj'  than  ever 
I've  been  before  to  my  home. 

Thus  it  will  be  seen  that  where  you  make 
your  emphatic  pause  you  should  make  your 
decided  inflection,  irrespective  of  the  grammat- 
ical pause. 


50  HOW    TO    READ, 

EXAMPLE    n. 

"The  affrighted  air  with  a  shudder  bore, 
Like  a  herald  in  haste  to  the  chieftain's  door. 
The  terrible  grumble  and  rumble  and  roar." 

The  tendency  is  to  pause  at  the  word  "bore 
because  there  is  a  comma  there :  a  pause,  how^- 
ever  sHght,  would  utterly  destroy  the  sense. 
Who  ever  heard  of  a  shudder  bore  ?  The  words 
"with  a  shudder"  are  parenthetical;  also  the 
entire  line  which  follows.  The  words  "grumble, 
rumble  and  roar"  are  the  object  of  bore;  hence, 
in  thought,  these  words  should  be  connected  as 
closely  as  possible. 

The  words  "with  a  shudder,"  and  "like  a 
herald  in  haste  to  the  chieftain's  door,"  are  ad- 
verbial phrases.  They  should  be  placed  on  a 
diiferent  voice  level  than  the  words  "bore,"  and 
"grumble  and  rumble  and  roar."^ 

We  will  diagram  it  as  it  should  be  read : — 

"The  affrighted  air — bore — the  terrible,"  etc., 
("with  a  shudder")  ("like  a  herald,"  etc.) 

EXAMPLE    m. 

"And  louder  yet  into  Winchester  rolled 
The  roar  of  that  red  sea  uncontrolled." 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  51 

Again  we  have  a  parenthetical  phrase — "into 
Winchester."  There  is  a  comma  at  uncon- 
trolled, yet  it  is  right  at  this  point  where  the 
period  of  thought  occurs.  The  word  "uncon- 
trolled" should  have  full  force  on  the  threesylla- 
ables,  accumulative  to  the  last,  and  an  intense 
falling  inflection  on  the  last,  as  this  word  is  the 
very  key-note  of  the  poem.  There  was  a  battle 
raging,  and  as  the  master  was  away,  it  was 
iincontroUccl ,  and  this  is  the  thought  that 
should  be  impressed  by  proper  CA'pression. 

EXAMPLE    IV. 

"  As  he  thought  of  the  stake  in  that  fiery  fray, 
And  Sheridan,  twenty  miles  away." 

Although  there  is  a  period  after  the  last  word 
"away,"  and  that  word  is  the  last  one  of  a 
stanza,  it  should  not  have  a  falling  inflection. 
The  second  a  should  be  prolonged,  and  the  voice 
suspended — not  rise.  No  stanza  should  end 
with  a  falling  inflection  till  the  one  next  to  the 
last.  So  long  as  there  is  continuous  action  ex- 
pressed, so  long  should  the  inflection  be  suspen- 
sive. The  reciter  should  not  allow  the  horse  to 
stop  from  the  time  he  leaves  Winchester  till — 


52  HOW    TO    READ, 

"By  the  flash  of  his  eye  and  his  red  nostrils  play, 
He  seemed,  to  the  whole  great  army  to  say — 
I  have  brought  you  Sheridan,  all  the  way 
From  Winchester  down  to  save  the  day." 

It  was  in  consequence  of  this  method  of  ren- 
dering the  poem  that  we  received  from  Gen'l 
Sheridan  this  high  compHment : — "  This  was  the 
first  time  I  was  ever    affected  by  this  poem. 

Why 1  was  on  the  old  black  charger 

again,  and  he  never  stopped  till  he  got  there.'' 


POETRY. 

The  most  essential  principle  to  be  considered 
in  the  reading  of  poetry  is 

Poises  vs.  Pauses. 

Rule. — In  the  reading  of  poetry,  as  of  prose, 
pause  only  where  the  sense  demands  it.  Instead 
of  pausing  at  the  end  of  a  line,  only  make  a 
delicate  poise,  which  is  caused  by  slightly  swell- 
ing the  word,  making  a  pivot  of  it,  on  which 
you  turn  to  the  next  line.  This  will  enable  you 
to  preserve  the  rhythm  without  destroj'ing 
the  sense. 


RECITE    AXD    IMTERSONATE.  53 

EXAMPLE  I.    ("  An  Order  for  a  Picture") 

"  Alway  and  alway,  night  and  morn, 
Woods  upon  woods,  with  fields  of  corn 
Lying  Ix^tween  thcni — not  quite  sere. 
And  not  in  the  full,  thick,  leafy  bloom. 
When  the  wind  can  hardlj'  find  breathing  room 
Under  its  tassels." 

There  should  be  no  pause,  but  a  poise  on  the 
words '  'corn  and  room . ' '  By  this  mode  of  reading 
we  will  not  mar  the  beauty  nor  the  smoothness. 

In  the  reading  of  the  beautiful  h3'mn,  "  I  love 
to  tell  the  storj',"  the  following  lines  should  be 
read  without  a  pause,  but  with  one  continuous 
stream  of  voice,  modulated  in  accordance  with 
the  thought. 

EXAMPLE  II. 

"  More  wonderful  it  seems 
Than  all  the  golden  fancies 
Of  all  our  golden  dreams." 

In  order  to  impress  the  reading  of  poetr>' 
according  to  the  sense,  instead  of  pausing  at  the 
end  of  every  line,  we  cite  the  following  • 

EXAMPLE  III. 

3.     "  Evcr>'  lady  in  the  land 

Has  twenty  nails  upon  each  hand 
Five  and  twenty  on  hands  and  feet. 
This  is  true,  and  no  deceit." 


5-i  HOW    TO    READ, 

Pause  at  the  end  of  the  second  Hne,  and  the 
statement  is  not  true.  Poise  at  the  end  of  first 
and  second  Hnes  and  pause  where  the  marks  are 
drawn  in  the  following  repetition,  and  then  the 
statement  is  true. 

"  Every  lady  in  the  land  • 

Has  twenty  nails  |  upon  each  hand 
Five  1  and  twenty  on  hands  and  feet 
This  is  true,  and  no  deceit," 

"Whatever  difficulties  we  may  find  in  reading 
prose,  they  are  greatly  increased  when  the  com- 
position is  in  verse,  and  more  particularly  if  the 
verse  be  rhyme.  The  regularity  of  the  feet,  and 
the  sameness  of  sound  in  rhyming  verse,  stronglj^ 
solicits  the  voice  to  a  sameness  of  tone;  and 
tone,  unless  directed  by  a  judicious  ear,  is  apt  to 
degenerate  into  a  song,  and  a  song,  of  all  others, 
is  the  most  disgusting  to  a  person  of  just  taste. 

' '  If,  therefore,  there  are  few  who  read  prose 
with  propriety,  there  are  still  fewer  who  succeed 
in  verse ;  they  either  want  that  equable  and  har- 
monious flow  of  sound  which  distinguishes  it 
from  loose,  unmeasured  composition,  or  they 
have  not  a  sufficient  delicacy  of  ear  to  keep  the 
harmonious  smoothness  of  verse  from  sliding 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  55 

into  a  whining  chant ;  nay,  so  agreeable  is  this 
chant  to  many  readers,  that  a  single  and  natural 
delivery  of  verse  seems  tame  and  insipid,  and 
much  too  familiar  with  the  dignity  of  the 
language. 

"So  pernicious  are  had  habits  in  every  exer- 
cise of  the  faculties,  that  they  not  only  lead  us 
to  false  objects  of  beauty  and  propriety,  but  at 
last  deprive  us  of  the  very  power  of  perceiving 
the  mistake. 

"For  those,  therefore,  whose  ears  are  not 
just,  and  are  totalh'  deficient  in  a  true  taste  for 
the  music  of  poetry,  the  best  method  of  avoiding 
this  impropriety  is  to  read  verse  exactly  as  if  it 
were  prose ;  for  though  this  may  be  said  to  be 
an  error,  it  is  certainly  an  error  on  the  safer 
side.  To  say,  however,  as  some  do,  that  the 
pronunciation  of  verse  is  entirely  destitute  of 
song,  and  that  it  is  no  more  than  a  just  pro- 
nunciation of  prose,  is  as  distant  from  truth,  as 
the  whining  chant  wc  have  been  speaking  of,  is 
from  poetic  harmony. 

"Poetry  without  song  is  a  body  without  a 
soul.  The  tune  of  this  song  is,  indeed,  difiicult 
to  hit ;  but  when  once  it  is  hit,  it  is  sure  to  give 
the  most  exquisite  pleasure.    It  excites  in  the 


56  HOW    TO    READ, 

hearer  the  most  eager  desire  of  imitation,  and  if 
this  desire  be  not  accompanied  by  a  just  taste  or 
good  instruction,  it  generally  substitutes  the 
turn  ti,  turn  ti,  as  it  is  called,  for  simple,  elegant, 
poetic  harmony. 

"It  must,  however, be  confessed, that  elegant 
readers  of  verse  often  verge  so  nearly  on  what 
is  called  sing-  song;  without  falling  into  it,  that 
it  is  no  wonder  that  those  who  attempt  to 
imitate  them,  slide  into  that  blemish  which 
borders  so  nearly  on  beauty.  The  truth  is,  the 
pronunciation  of  verse  is  a  species  of  reading 
very  distinct  from  the  pronunciation  of  prose ; 
both  of  them  have  nature  for  their  basis ;  but 
one  is  common,  familiar  and  practical  nature; 
the  other  beautiful,  elevated  and  ideal  nature; 
the  latter  as  different  from  the  former  as  the 
elegant  step  of  a  minuet  is  from  the  common 
motions  in  walking 

"Accordingly,  we  find,  there  are  many  who 
can  read  prose  Avell,  who  are  entirel}"  at  a  loss  for 
the  pronunciation  of  verse;  for  these  then  we 
will  endeavor  to  lay  out  a  few  rules,  which  may 
serve  to  facilitate  the  acquiring  of  so  desirable 
an  accomplishment. 

"  The  sense  of  an  author  ought  always  to  be 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  57 

enforced  to  the  utmost,  let  the  harmony  be  what 
it  will.  Reading  should  be  a  compromise 
between  sense  and  sound.  Obscurity  is  the 
greatest  possible  defect  in  reading,  and  no  har- 
mony will  make  amends  for  it.  But  if  the  sense 
of  a  passage  be  sufficiently  clear,  it  seems  no  in« 
fringement  on  the  rights  of  the  understanding  to 
give  this  sufficiently  clear  sense  or  harmoni'^^s 
utterance. 

"  In  pausing,  ever  let  this  rule  take  place: 
Never  to  separate  words  in  any  case 
That  are  less  separable  than  those  you  join : 
And,  which  imports  the  same,  not  to  combine 
Such  words  together,  as  do  not  relate 
So  closely  as  the  words  you  separate." 

Though  many,  many  j-^ears  have  rolled  by 
since  these  words  were  written  in  "Walker's 
Klemcnts  of  Elocution"  they  are  no  less  true 
now  than  then  (1811).  In  the  same  valuable 
little  treatise  we  find  a  few  words  quoted  from 
the  noted  Sheridan. 

"If  the  author  has  so  united  the  preceding 
and  following  lines  in  verse  as  to  make  them 
real  prose,  why  is  a  reader  to  do  that  which  the 


58  HOW    TO    READ, 

author  has  neglected  to  do :  and  indeed  seems 
to  have  forbidden  by  the  nature  of  the  com- 
position? " 


THE  LINKS  OF  R  CHAIN. 
In  the  reading  of  prose  or  poetry,  so  long  as 
the  sense  does  not  require  a  pause,  let  the  words 
or  s^dlables  represent  the  links  of  a  chain. 

Rule. — Keep  the  chain  unbroken  unless  the 
breaking  thereof  is  demanded  by  the  sense,  or, 
will  add  hnpressiveness  to  the  thought.  The 
emphatic  \vord  represents  the  large  link.  The 
whole  movement  should  be  gliding  and  graceful, 
the  words  being  poured,  as  it  were,  in  a  contin- 
iious  stream.  There  should,  however,  be  modu- 
lation in  the  tones,  for  at  times  we  want  the 
clear  ripple  of  the  mountain  brook,  and  again  as 
'*  rolls  the  Oregon." 

EXAMPLE  I.     (Very  Light). 

"  Alway  in  the  old  romances  that  dear  Archie  read  to  me." 

EXAMPLE  IL     (Very  Full  and  Sustained). 
"Hear  me,  ye  walls  that  echo'd  to  the  tread  of  either 
Brutus." 

The  foregoing  examples  offer  a  fine  contrast 
in  the  tones  of  the  voice ;   the  former  is  sweet, 


RECITK    AND    IMPERSONATE.  59 

pure,  bright  and  flexible,  representing  the  links 
of  a  s/7rer  chain  ;  while  the  latter  is  firm,  strong, 
enduring  and  unyielding,  characterized  by  a 
steadiness  representing  a  heavj',  iron  chain. 
Both  are  in  compliance  with  the  rule,  though 
the  latter  is  an  example  of  sustained  force. 


FLEXIBILITY. 
To  aid  one  in  accomplishing  this  object  we 
offer  three  very  valuable  suggestions,  working, 
as  they  do,  conjointly. 

Rule. — Aim  all  the  tone  forward. 
Keep  the  lips  moving. 
Cause  the  words  to  blend. 

There  is  too  much  reading  and  speaking  back 
in  the  throat,  scarcely  opening  the  mouth, 
having  too  little  movement  of  the  lower  jaw. 
This  causes  the  throat  to  contract  and  become 
tired,  causing  hoarseness  and  weariness,  where- 
as, if  the  effort  were  brought  to  the  lips,  the 
throat  would  soon  expand  in  proportion  to  the 
volume  of  voice  required. 

To  obviate  this  difficulty  wc  would  suggest 
that  a  few  moments  of  exercises  be  given  daily 


60  HOW    TO    READ, 

to  mechanical  reading;  /.  e.,  using  the  lips  freely 
in  the  utterance  of  every  element ;  using  them  to 
exaggeration,  as  if  to  make  every  element  dis- 
tinctly heard  at  a  distant  point.  Do  not  speak 
the  w^ords  loudl3%  but  distinctly  and  pleasantly. 
This  exaggerated  movement  will  not  lead  to 
mouthing ;  but,  day  by  day  it  will  assert  itself 
and  bring  about  the  desired  results  without 
making  apparent  the  mechanism  that  was 
essential  in  accomplishing  the  object. 

Place  every  word  where  you  can  bite  it,  and 
the  tone  where  you  can  taste  it. 


HESITANCY— fiS  AN  ART. 
There  is  an  art  in  hesitancy,  if  it  is  made  at  the 
right  time  and  in  the  right  manner.     But,  bear 
in  mind  it  is  a  hesitancy  of  art,  not  of  nature. 

Rule. — Hesitate  in  the  giving  of  special  epochs 
in  history ;  also  in  little  incidents  thrown  in  by 
the  author,  which  same  should  be  so  deftly 
handled  by  the  narrator  as  to  cause  an  audience 
to  think  them  impromptu. 

EXAMPLE    I. 

"  Listen,  my  children,  and  you  shall  hear 
Of  the  midnight  ride  of  Paul  Revere, 
On  the  eighteenth  of  April  in  seventy-five  " 


BECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  61 

Hesitate  slightly  after  the  word  "on" — 
dwelling  on  the  sound  of  n — as  though  trying  to 
recall  the  day  of  the  month.  Hesitate  again 
after  the  word  "April,"  in  the  effort  to  recall 
the  year.  In  like  manner  prolong  the  n  in  the 
word  "  in  "  just  before  the  word  "seventy-five." 

In  this  way  it  will  destroy  the  usual  tendency 
(in  such  selections)  to  declaim  the  thoughts,  or 
simply  calling  the  words  without  giving  thera 
any  expression. 

Selections  of  this  character — in  fact,  all  selec- 
tions— should  be  read,  not  as  though  they  were 
committed,  but  as  if  the  thoughts  were  born  at 
the  moment  of  giving  them  utterance. 

EXAMPLK   11.    ("  The  Emigrant's  Story.") 

— Tro  whriclge. 

"After    making  our  beds  —  that   is,  jusl   spreading    our 

blankets 
On  the  dry  ground — we  stood,  the  mother  and  1,  lor  a 

long  while, 
Hand  in  hand,  that  night,  and  looked  at  our  si.\  little 

shavers, 
All  asleep  in  their  nests,  either  in  or  under  the  wagon — " 

A  slight  hesitancy  after  the  words  "  that  is," 
will  add  much  to  the  naturalness  of  the  expres- 


62  ,  HOW    TO    READ, 

sion.     From  the  same  selection  we  have  another 
illustration. 

EXAMPLE   ni. 

"Just  then  I 
saw  something  white  gleam, 
Rushed  for  it,  tore  through  the  brush:   and  there,  Sir,  if 

you'll  believe  me, 
In  a  rough  pen  of  trees,   slung  about  in  the  carelessest 

fashion. 
Safe  in  the  midst  of  'em,  only  the  tongue  smashed  up  and 

the  canvas 
Damaged  a  trifle — Excuse  me,  I  never  could  get  through 

the  story, 
Just  along  here,  w^ithout  being  a  little  mite  womanish! — " 

Hesitancy  should  precede  and  succeed  the 
words  "excuse  me;"  also  precede  the  word 
"womanish." 

The  audience  should  be  actually  puzzled  as  to 
whether  the  words  following  the  word  "trifle" 
w^ere  those  of  the  author  or  of  the  narrator. 


SUSPENSION. 
Rule. — When  the  mind  of  an  audience  can  be 
held  in  suspense,  either  by  the  voice  or  by  the 
manner — if  appropriately    applied — it    will    be 
found  to  have  great  and  desirable  effect. 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  63 

EXAMPLE  I.     ("Ride  of  Jennie  McNeal.") 

— Carleton. 

"One  night  when  the  sun  had  crept  to  bed, 
And  rain  clouds  lingered  overhead, 
And  sent  their  surly  drops  as  proof 
To  drum  a  tune  on  the  cottage  roof, 
Close  after  a  knock  at  the  outer  door, 
There  entered  a  dozen  dragoons,  or  more." 

A  certain  secrecy  and  fear  should  permeate 
this  entire  stanza,  until  the  curiosity  of  the  au- 
dience has  reached  the  highest  point  of  the  cli- 
max, then  halt  after  the  ^vord  "entered,"  thus 
bringing  about  the  desired  eifect  by  the  aid  of 
the  suspense. 


NEGATIVES. 

There  is  a  ver>^  prevalent  fault  among  readers 
and  speakers ;  /.  c.  to  emphasize  all  negatives — 
no,  none,  not,  never,  etc. 

Negative  sentences  are  the  same  as  affirma- 
tive ones  so  far  as  emphasis  is  concerned. 

Rule. — Avoid  emphasizing  a  neg-at/i-e  element 
unless  it  is  intended  as  a  direct  negation,  ex- 
pressed or  implied;  or  is  reiterated  with  a 
speeial  view  to  emphasis. 


64  HOW    TO    READ, 

EXAMPLE    I. 
"  Lead  us  not  into  temptation." 
By  placing  the  emphasis  on  the  word  "not," 
implies    that    He    intended    to    lead    us  into 
temptation. 

EXAMPLE    II. 

— "While  overhead,  with  wild  increase, 
Forgetting  its  ancient  toll  of  peace, 
The  great  bell  swung  as  ne'er  before — 
It  seemed  as  it  w^ould  never  cease ;" 

The  emphatic  word  in  the  last  line  is  "cease ;" 
the  word  " never"  is  not  a  direct  negation. 

EXAMPLE    III. 

"  I    never     would    lay     down    my    arms — never,    never, 
NEVER!" 

In  this  case  the  negative  element — the  word 
"never" — is  reiterated  for  special  force,  and 
should  receive  emphasis  with  each  utterance. 


IMMEDIATELY  CONNECTED  EMPHATIC 

WORDS. 
Rule. — Two  immediately  connected  emphatic 
w^ords  or  thoughts  should  not  be  given  on  the 
same  voice  level,  or  pitch.    If  there  are  three  or 


RECITE    AND    IMTERSONATE.  ()."> 

more,  the  tliird  mny  1)c  i)laced  on  the  same  level 
with  the  first,  but  under  no  circumstances  should 
it  be  on  the  same  level  as  the  preceding  one. 

EXAMPLE  I. 

"Never,  never,  never." 

EXAMPLE  II. 

"  To  arms,  to  arms,  to  arms,"  they  cry. 

EXAMPLE  III. 

"  Arm  !  Arm  .'  it  is — it  is — the  cannon's  opening  roar." 


LITERfiLNESS. 

Rule. — Avoid  calling  such  special  attention 
to  words  as  will  cause  the  mind  to  be  centered 
on  purely  Jiternl  translation. 

Bear  in  mind  that  it  is  only  the  mental  tone 
or  radical  stress  that  deals  with  the  details. 

EXAMPLE  I. 

"So  they  fell  on  their  hasty  sii^jpir  with  zeal." 

By  placing  any  stress  upon  the  word  "fell," 
would  be  to  invite  special  attention  to  the  fall- 
ing and  mrdvc  it  appear  that  the}-  //tcmZ/rfell  on 
their  supper.     The  emphatic  word  is  *'  zeal." 


66  HOW    TO    READ, 

EXAMPLE  II. 

"  A  brave  woman  strained  her  eyes.  ' 

Avoid  the  radical  stress  on  the  word 
"strained,"  lest  you  destroj'  the  beauty  of  the 
picture.  As  this  brave  woman  stood  on  the 
coast  of  Wales  watching  a  storm-tossed  vessel, 
there  was  no  7/tera/ straining  of  the  e^'es. 

EXAMPLE  III. 
"Soft  ej'es  looked  love  to  eyes  which  spake  again." 

To  give  this  Avord  "  soft "  in  the  radical  stress 
and  thereby  invite  special  attention  to  the  word, 
would  be  to  speak  of  the  eyes  as  if  thcA'  were 
soft  to  the  touch — putty  eyes.  The  whole  line 
is  expressed  bj'  the  moral  tone  and  median 
stress. 

This  tendenc\^  of  literalness  also  manifests 
itself  in  dealing  with  number. 

EXAMPLE  IV. 

"  A  thousand  hearts  heat  happily." 

Hot  just  a  thousand,  but  a  great  many. 

EXAMPLE  Y. 

"  A  hundred  hands  flung  up  reply, 
A  hundred  voices  answ^ered  '  L'  " 


t    Ki:ciTi:   AMI   iMi'FRsoxATr:.  67 

There  may  have  been  more  or  less  than  a 
hundred.  It  is  the  ^ewera/ thought  that  should 
be  expressed.  Nor  did  the  hands  literally  /ling 
up  reply ;  nor  should  the  reader  try  to  express  a 
hundred  or  more  voices  \vhen  giving  expression 
to  their  answer  "I."  It  is  the  spirit,  not  the 
reality,  that  is  required. 

EX.VMPLI-:   VI. 

"  Hurrah,  hurrah  for  Sheridan! 
Hurrah,  hurrah  for  horse  and  man!  " 

How  often  we  hear  the  words  "hurrah, 
huiTah  "  given  as  though  they  Avere  shouted  by 
a  myriad  of  voices.  When  "he  dashed  down 
the  line  mid  a  storm  of  huzzahs  "  is  the  time  the 
actual  hurrahing  took  place,  but  the  "hurrah" 
given  in  the  last  stanza  is  an  after  consideration, 
and  entirely'  out  of  the  strong  spirited  scene  in 
which  the  narrator  has  been  a  participator. 
These  are  the  grand  results,  and  should  in  no 
way  borrow  of  the  declamatory  and  heroic 
narration,  but  should  be  expressed  as  the  soul- 
felt  feeling  of  the  author.  If  you  insist  u|)on 
shouting" hurrah," shouL  tlie  whole  stanza,  and 
thus  be  consistent. 


HOW    TO    READ, 


READING,   RECITING  AND   IMPERSON- 

flTING. 

A  very  great  distinction  should  be  made  in 
reference  to  these  three  forms  of  rendering  a 
selection. 

How  few  readers  read.  The  majority  recite. 
To  be  a  good  reader  is  a  ver^^  great  accomplish- 
ment, and  it  is  of  more  practical  benefit  than 
reciting. 

There  are  man}'  selections  \vhich  are  much 
more  effective  as  a  reading  than  as  a  recitation. 
In  our  rule  for  each  st^de  of  rendering  will  be 
found,  we  think,  all  the  thought  necessarv'  to  the 
distinguishing  of  the  three  forms,  and  sufficient 
instruction  for  the  rendering  of  the  same.  We 
desire,  however,  to  saj^  a  word  in  reference  to 
the  reading  versus  reciting  in  our  public  schools. 
It  should  be  made  a  pleasant  and  profitable 
exercise  of  the  day.  "Words  fith'  spoken  are 
like  apples  of  gold  in  pictures  of  silver."  It  is 
not  merely  for  the  sake  of  correct  pronunciation, 
correct  emphasis,  inflections,  etc.,  but,  added  to 
these,  the  soul  of  the  reader  shoulct  commune 
with  the  soul  of  the  author;  hence  this  class  of 
reading  should  not  be  soulless, — as  so  muc': 
of  it  is. 


RKCITK    AND    IMPERSONATK.  69 

Just  a  word  in  reference  to  "Poet's  Day" 
and  "Commencement" — especially  the  former. 
Why  recite  everything  ?  Some  of  the  real  gems 
of  our  poets  are  completely  obscured  by  the 
reciter,  whereas,  were  they  read,  they  would 
shine  forth  in  all  their  beauty;  but  it  is  too 
often  the  case  that  they  are  hidden  or  their 
beauty  marred  by  the  awkwardness  of  the  one 
who  stands  up  to  "speak  his  little  piece," — 
aw^kward  when  standing  still,  more  awkward 
when  moving  about.  Ah,  but  your  pupils  make 
prctt}^  gestures  and  strike  beautiful  attitudes? 
These  may  be  appropriately  given  for  recita- 
tions, but  not  for  readings.  Readings  recpiire 
no  gestures.  Then  for  "  Poet's  Day  "  or  "  Com- 
mencement," we  would  suggest  an  occasional 
reading  to  relieve  the  monotony  —  and  the 
audience. 

Think  of  the  relief  to  the  teacher  in  preparing 
the  vselection  for  the  pupil,  in  preparing  the  pupil 
for  the  selection,  and  preparing  both  for  the 
audience. 

The  gems  will  be  the  brighter  by  the  contrast 
with  the  recitations, — to  sa\'  nothing  of  time 
saved,  labor  saved,  patience  saved  to  the 
already  worn  out  teacher. 


70  HOW    TO    READ, 

REfl-DINGS. 

Rule. — Readings  are  selections  of  didactic 
nature,  requiring  no  gestures.  The  book  from 
which  the  reading  is  given,  should  be  held  easily 
and  gracefully  in  the  hand  or  should  he  upon  the 
stand  or  reading  desk. 

EXAMPLES. 

"Poor   Little  Jim." 

— Edward  Farmer. 

"Sandalphon." 

— H.  W.  Longfellow. 

"  An  Order  for  a  Picture." 

— Alice  Cary. 

These  and  all  selections  of  a  similar  nature 
will  be  brought  more  vividly  to  the  mind  of  the 
audience  when  the  reader  does  naught  to  at- 
tract to  himself,  and  thereby  detract  from  the 
thought. 

By  observing  this  caution  and  following  the 
rule  for  readings,  the  recitations  \vill  be  the 
more  effective  by  the  contrast. 


RECITATIONS. 
Rule. — Recitations  require  gestures  and  atti- 
tudes in  proportion  to  the  nature  of  the  same ; 
if  heroic,  they  should  be  vigorous. 


RECITE    AXD    IMPERSONATE.  71 

EXAMPLES. 

"Sheridan's  Ride." 

— T.  Buchanan  Read. 

"Barbara  Freitchic." 

— /.  G.  Whittier. 

"The  Polish  Boy." 

— Ann  S.  Stephens. 

"Como." 

—Joaquin  Miller, 

In  the  above  list,  "Sheridan's  Ride"  is  the 
most  purely  a  recitation, — a  descriptive,  heroic 
recitation. 

"Barbara  Freitchie"  may  be  read;  if  read, 
no  gestures  should  be  made  other  than  with 
the  Qycs. 

"The  Polish  Boy,"  is  a  reading,  recitation, 
and  impersonation  combined. 

It  is  properly  classed  inidcr  recitations,  or 
impersonations;  it  would  be  very  difficult  to 
make  it  a  reading,  as  the  dramatic  situations 
would  not  be  so  strong,  yet  there  are  portions 
of  it  that  could  be  read  with  telling  effect. 

"Como"  may  be  read  or  recited,  but  more 
properly  recited  with  the  impersonations 
included. 


72  HOW    TO    READ, 

IMPERSONATIONS. 

Rule. — Impersonations  are  purely  dramatic, 
requiring  gestures  and  attitudes. 

EXAMPLES. 

1.  Hamlet's  Soliloquies. 

2.  Macbeth's  Soliloquies. 

3.  Letter  Scene — Macbeth. 

4.  Dagger  Scene — Macbeth. 

^  5.  Sleep-walking  Scene. — Macbeth. 

6.  Cassius'  Speech  on  Honor. 

7.  "  One  Daj^  Solitary"— /.  T.  Trowbridge. 

8.  "The  Old  Major"— Srei  Harte. 

9.  "  Tell's  Address  to  the  Alps." 

Gestures  and  attitudes  should  be  very  spar- 
ingly used  and  wdth  the  utmost  discrimination 
in  all  soliloquies.     (See  Soliloquies.) 

Where  a  recitation  and  impersonation  are 
combined,  we  should  only  suggest  the  imperson- 
ation, but,  as  in  the  nine  examples  under  this 
heading,  the  impersonations  should  be  complete; 
i.  e.,  the  impersonator  should  fully  identify  him- 
self with  the  character  he  is  portraying. 

Whenever  we  say  "only  suggest,"  we  mean 
that  if  you  were  at  times  a  narrator,  and  at 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  73 

Other  times  an  impersonator  as  in  "Barbara 
Freitcliie"  \vc  would  have  you  suggest  the 
heorine  and  Stonewall  Jackson.  Nothing  is 
more  ludicrous  than  to  hear  a  lady  try  to 
impersonate  the  voice  of  Stonewall  Jackson, — 
unless  it  is  to  hear  a  gentleman  try  to  im- 
jjcrsonate  the  voice  of  Barbara  Freitchie.  In 
"  The  Polish  Boy  "  the  voice  of  the  mother,  the 
boy,  the  ruffians,  should  onh'  be  suggested. 


IMPERSONHTION  vs.  NfiRRflTION. 

A  prevalent  fault  exists,  not  only  in  the 
school-room,  but  upon  the  platform,  in  which 
the  reader  gets  the  impersonator  and  the  narra- 
tor confounded.  There  are  very  few  professional 
readers  who  are  exempt  from  this  fatdt :  then  it 
is  not  strange  that  we  find  it  in  the  school- 
room. 

Rule. — In  nil  reading;  not  excepting  Bible 
reading,  composed  of  narration  and  impersona- 
tion, the  narrator  should  not  impersonate  nor 
even  suggest  the  impersonation  when  speaking 
of  the  character,  but  0/7/r.whcn  sjieaking  as  the 
character. 


74  HOW    TO    READ, 

EXAMPLE    I, 

"  She  leaned  far  out  on  the  window  sill 
And  shook  it  forth  with  a  royal  will. 
'  Shoot  if  you  must,  this  old  gray  head, 
But  spare  your  coitntry's  flag,'  she  said." 

Give  the  first  two  lines  with  all  the  spirit  and 
animation  required  for  such  a  heroic  selection, 
but  reserve  the  action  (leaning  from  the  windo^v 
and  shaking  the  flag)  until  you  have  begun 
voicing  the  quotation;  /.  e.,  when  she  speaks; 
then  "suit  the  action  to  the  word." 

EXAMPLE  II. 

"  And  he  folded  his  arms  as  he  stood  there  alone, 
As  calm,  and  as  cold,  as  a  statue  of  stone." 

Do  not  fold  the  arms  w^hen  reading  these 
lines;  wait  till  Shamus  O'Brien  speaks. 

EXAMPLE  III. 

"  With  folded  arms  and  clouded  brow. 
He  mutters  forth  his  grievance  now." 

Do  not  fold  the  arms  nor  cloud  the  brow  until 
you,  as  the  character,  begin  muttering  forth  his 
grievance. 


RRCITK    AND    IMPERSONATE.  75 

EXAMPLE  IV. 

Then  Agrippa  said  unto  Paul:  "Thou  art  permitted  to 
speak  for  thyself."  Tlicn  Paul  stretched  forth  his  hand  and 
answered  for  himself:  "  I  think  myself  happy,  King  Agrip]).'i, 
because  I  shall  answer  for  myself  this  day  before  thee,"  etc. 

A  variety  should  be  given  to  Scripture  read- 
ing, as  to  all  other  kinds  of  reading,  /.  e.,  the 
voice  and  manner  should  be  consistent  with  the 
thought.  In  the  example  just  cited,  the  reader 
should  bring  this  court  scene  before  the  people, 
simply  by  the  tones  of  voice,  not  b}^  dramatic 
situations,  gestures  or  attitudes.  He  should 
suggest  the  king  and  Paul,  making  a  distinction 
in  the  voice  and  general  bearing  of  each,  and 
both  of  these  representations  should  differ  from 
the  conversational  reading  tone  of  the  narrator. 

EXAMPLE  V. 

Haifa  league — half  a  league, 
Haifa  league  onward, 
All  in  the  valley'  of  death 
Rode  the  six  hundred. 
"Forward  the  Light  Brigade! 
Charge  for  the  guns  I  "  he  said. 

"  The  words  "  Half  a  league"  are  spoken  i»v 
the  narrator,  not  the  comnumder,  hence  should 


76  HOW    TO    READ, 

not  be  given  as  a  command,  but  in  aspiration; 
the  narrator  is  looking  upon  the  scene  after 
the  battle.  It  is  given  in  the  past  tense;  the 
narrator  does  not  say  rides  the  six  hundred,  but 
rode  the  six  hundred.  The  foregoing  examples 
suffice  to  sho w^  that  much  care  must  be  exercised 
in  the  distinctive  portrayal  of  character. 


QUOTATIONS. 

Rule. — In  all  selections  combining  narration 
and  impersonation,  the  narrator  should  make  a 
distinct  pawse  previous  to  and  immediately  fol- 
lowing t\\Q  quotations. 

Examples  may  be  found  by  referring  to  num- 
bers 1,  4  and  5,  just  cited. 

This  pausing,  to  which  we  refer,  gives  ample 
time  to  the  narrator  and  audience  to  get  into 
the  atmosphere  of  the  impersonation. 

The  words  " she  said "  and  "he  said "  (exam- 
ples 1  and  5)  should  be  so  subordinated  to  the 
quotations,  and  still  so  separated  from  them, 
that  they  would  drop  into  utter  silence,  were 
they  not  necessary  to  the  rhythmical  order  and 
poetic  measure. 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE. 


A  writer  of  poetry  has  poeticlicense ;  a  reader 
of  poetr}'  has  a  reader's  hcense.  It  is  often  that 
•♦■he  reader  makes  the  poem  ;  it  is  often  that  the 
Acciter  mars  it.  Longfellow  has  said  "  Of  equal 
honor  with  him  who  writes  a  grand  poem,  is  he 
who  reads  it  grandly." 

If  yon  were  reading  from  Poe's  "Raven" 
"Wretch,"  I  cried  "thy  God  hath  sent  thee"— 
You  have  a  license  to  substitute  the  words  "Ah 
wretch''  in  place  of  "I  cried."  The  words  "I 
cried"  if  repeated  aloud,  would  take  you  and 
your  audience,  for  the  moment,  out  of  the 
atmosphere  that  surrounds  the  impersonator. 
He  is  addressitig  himself,  not  the  raven ;  hence 
the  words  "  ah  wretch  "  are  in  keeping  with  the 
character,  and  maj^  be  given  as  part  of  the  quo- 
tation without  interfering  with  the  metrical 
accent  or  the  cujihon}'. 


SOLILOQUIES. 
A  soliloquy  is  the  musing  of  the  heart,  but  it 
is  spoken  aloud  as  a  dramatic  necessity. 

RULK. — Solilquize  in  a  manner  to  be  heard,  but 
not  as  if  intending  to  be  heard.  The  tone  of 
voice  depends  upon  the  relation  of  theimperson- 


78  HOW    TO    READ, 

ated,  to  the  scenes  and  circumstances  that  were 
at  the  time  surrounding  him.  Gestures  should 
be  sparingly  used,  and  with  the  utmost  dis- 
crimination. 

The  eye  should  never  rest  upon  the  audience ; 
yet  as  a  rule  should  be  kept  in  such  a  position  as 
to  be  seen  b^^  them ;  for  the  eye  is  the  pivot  of 
all  expression. 

EXAMPLE  I. 

Hamlet's  soliloqu}'  "To  be  or  not  to  be,"  is  not  char- 
acterized by  that  secrecy  and  general  feeling  which  pervades 
Macbeth's  soliloquy:  "  If  it  were  done."  The  former  is  in 
contemplation  of  se//^destruction ;  the  latter  contemplates 
the  destruction  of  another. 

The  famous  dagger  scene  of  Macbeth  takes 
on  a  still  different  tone  from  either  of  the  pre- 
ceding ones,  as  the  increase  of  fear,  added  to 
mental  conflict,  causes  greater  aspiration  of  the 
voice. 

The  beautiful  soliloquj^  "Rock  me  to  sleep, 
mother,"  furnishes  us  an  illustration  of  a  more 
quiet  and  meditative  st^de,  and  requires  a  tone 
especially  suited  to  the  "sick  soul  and  the  world's 
weary  brain."    We  have,  also,  as  an  illustration, 


KIvCITi:     AM)    IMPERSONATR.  7D 

the  grand  and  impressive  poem  from  the  pen  of 
Mr.  J.  T.  Trowbridge: 

''  One  Dny  Solitary:' 

This  is  the  soliloquy' of  a  young  man  in  prison. 
He  goes  to  his  cell  apparently  unconcerned  as  he 
talks  to  the  jailer,  but  his  soliloquy  is  unlike 
almost  any  other  in  the  language.  There  are 
mental  and  moral  and  vital  conflicts,  ^vhich 
bring  in  play  a  great  variety  of  tones.  His  eye, 
like  his  mind,  Avanders  ever  and  anon  to  the  far- 
away scenes  of  his  home  anil  his  childhood,  and 
thereby  causes  the  introspective  aspect  of  the  eye. 


THE  EYE. 


The  action  of  the  eye  is  not  only  essential  as 
regards  a  solilociuy,  but  it  forms  an  imjiortant 
part  in  general  reading. 

We  will  place  this  sul)ject  in  three  divisions, 
following  each  with  the  respective  suggestions. 

Eye  educated. 

Eye  to  the  audience. 

Eye  vs.  ear. 


80  HOW    TO    READ, 

Eye  Educated. 

The  eye  should  be  so  educated  in  reading, 
that  it  will  go  ahead  of  the  words  to  he 
expressed,  in  order  to  anticipate  the  thought 
with  its  corresponding  emphasis  and  inflection. 

Reading  may  be  likened  to  going  up  or  down 
stairs. 

You  will  be  sure  to  stumble,  or  at  least  to 
halt,  if  you  place  3'our  eye  upon  the  step  at  the 
same  time  3^ou  place  j'our  foot  there.  You 
should  not  have  3'Our  e3^e  upon  the  word  you 
are  uttering,  but  train  it  to  look  ahead. 

Suggestion. — Open  a  book  and  close  it  quickly, 
and  see  how  much  the  eye  can  catch  at  a  glance. 
Daniel  Webster  used  to  discipline  the  mind  and 
the  eye  at  the  same  time,  by  placing  a  book  on 
a  large  table,  and,  walking  around  it,  he  would 
pass  the  book,  without  vStopping,  and  "takein," 
by  a  single  glance,  enough  thought  to  repeat  till 
he  again  reached  the  book  ;  and,  continuing  his 
walk,  he  would  continue  his  talk  uninterrupt- 
edly. 


Eye  to  Audience. 
By  following  the  previous  suggestion,  you 
will  be  enabled  to  glance    up  from  the  book 


RECITU    AND    IMPERSONATE.  81 

or  M.  S.,  and  thereby  produce  a  much  greater 
effect  upon  3'our  hearers.  You  can  so  train  the 
eye  that,  in  openinij  a  book  to  a  selection  with 
which  you  are  wholly  unfamiliar,  you  will  be 
able  to  look  steadily'  at  the  audience  during  the 
delivery  of,  at  least,  one-half  the  thought.  Sup- 
pose you,  as  a  hearer,  are  unfortunate  enough 
to  sit  where  a  stove-pipe,  or  pillar,  or  a  tall  per- 
son, obstructs  A'our  view  of  the  speaker,  why  do 
you  move  j'our  head  to  see  the  speaker?  You 
can  hear  him,  and  3'ou  can  discern  by  his  tone 
of  voice  if  he  is  in  earnest.  You  watch  him 
awhile,  but  if  he  does  not  lift  the  eye  and  occa- 
sionally look  steadily  at  the  audience,  you  will 
soon  lose  your  interest,  and  the  aforesaid  ob- 
struction is  no  longer  o1)jectionable. 

The  youngest  child  in  school,  by  the  applica- 
tion of  this  suggestion  :  /.  c,  looking  up  from  the 
book,  will  change  the  ordinary  monotonous, 
meaningless,  stereotyped,  school-room  reading- 
tone,  into  a  jileasant  conversational  one.  We 
speak  of  the  benefits  of  this  suggestion  after 
years  of  observation  and  continuous  practical 
application.  77;/s  tendency  to  rend  down  in  the 
hook,  has  a  tendency  io  wnke  one  read  and 
speak  down  in  the  throat. 


82  HOXV    TO    READ, 

Suggestion. — Imagine  ^-^ou  are  standing  before 
a  school,  or  an  audience,  with  a  box  of  presents 
to  be  given  to  them  indi\'idually.  You  naturally 
look  into  the  box  for  the  presents,  but  j-ou  do 
not  think  of  handing  them  out  with  downcast 
eves.  You  will,  instead,  if  you  have  any  heart 
in  the  matter,  not  onl}^  look  at  the  person  to 
whom  you  hand  the  present,  but  your  counte- 
nance will  change  as  you  hand  out  each  article. 
Your  book  or  M.  S.,  is  the  box,  your  thoughts 
are  the  presents.  Inasmuch  as  3^our  e^-^e  reaches 
down  to  obtain  the  thought,  it  should  look  up 
and  at  the  person  addressed  ;  as  the  hand  is  the 
agent  that  conveys  the  tangible  object,  the  voice 
is  the  vehicle  of  the  thought,  and  your  expres- 
sion should  vary  with  the  varied  thoughts. 


Eye   vs.   Ear. 

The  eye  and  ear  bear  a  close  relation  to 
each  other.  The  eye  should  not  follow  in  the 
direction  of  the  object  to  \vhich  you  are  listening. 
It  \vill  not  only  make  indistinct  the  picture 
which  you  ^vish  to  present,  but  will  change  the 
color  as  you  change  the  tone  of  voice.  Coloring 
in  reading  may  be    described   as  the  different 


KKCITIC     A.Vn    INrPKRSON'ATR.  P3 

phasCvS  of  eniotioniil  expression  in  the  voice. 
You  should  use  rin  artist's  precision  in  the  laying 
on  of  tints,  and  in  the  grouping  of  objects. 
When  you  are  listening,  the  attitude  of  the  body 
has  a  corresponding  mental  attitude,  and  the 
voice  will  l)e  lower  and  more  in  sympathy  with 
the  subject. 

EXAMPLi:.  ("The  Face  against  the  Pane.") 

"The  hcii veils  arc  vciiicil  with  tire! 
And  the  thumler,  how  it  rolls!  " 

The  prevailing  tendency  is  to  cause  these 
thoughts  to  be  exjjressed  on  the  same  level, 
thereby  making  no  difference  between  the  seeing 
and  the  hearing.  The  public  reader  generally 
looks  in  the  direction  of  the  thimder,  as  he 
does  in  the  direction  of  the  lightning.  In  so 
doing  he  is  hearing  with  his  eyes.  Turn  the  eye 
and  head  from  the  soimd,  as  if  you  were  listening 
to  it  instead  of  seeing  it;  and,  without  any 
effort  on  your  part,  your  voice  will  naturall}' 
drop  to  a  lower  ke^',  and  be  more  in  sympathy 
with  the  sidiject.  Things  imseen  shotdd  not  be 
expressed  with  so  clear  a  voice  as  things  seen. 


84  HOW    TO    READ, 

DliVLNESS  OF  SIGHT. 

Rule. — Dimness  of  sight  requires  a  corres- 
ponding dimness  of  voice.  In  cases  of  doubt, 
secrecy,  fear,  moral  impurity,  darkness,  death, 
etc.,  the  tone  of  voice,  while  wholly  governed 
by  succeeding  and  preceding  thoughts,  should 
generally  be  lacking  in  the  purer  qualities,  drop- 
ping more  toward  the  louver  and  aspirated 
tones. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  One  nlglit,  wlicn  the  sun  had  crept  to  bed, 
And  rani  clouds  lingered  overhead, 
And  sent  their  surly  drops  as  j^roof 
To  drum  a  tune  on  the  cottage  roof, 
Close  after  a  knock  at  the  outer  door. 
There  entered  a  do/;cn  dragoons,  or  more." 

The  conflict  of  doubt,  fear,  secrecy,  etc., 
should  continue  through  the  word  "entered," 
then  by  use  of  a  rhetorical  pause,  thus  keeping 
the  hearer  in  suspense,  3-011  will  emerge  from  the 
tone  of  secrecy  and  doubt  into  a  tone  of  posi- 
tiveness  and  clearness,  and  you  will  emphasize 
the  word  "dragoons"  with  an  intense  falling 
inflection. 

The  period  of  thought  immediately  follows 


RECITIv    AM)    IMIMCRSONATK.  85 

the  word  "dragoons."  Transpose  it  and  3'ou 
have  "There  entered  a  dozen,  or  more  dra- 
goons." 

PROJECTION  OF  THE  TONE. 

Rule. — Aim  the  tone  at  some  distant  point, 
and  during  eaeh  complete  thought  keep  it  there. 

It  Avill  be  found  that  the  high  tones  being 
more  jJcnetrating,  rec[uire  less  i)usli  than  the 
lower  ones. 

Talk  to  those  lartiiest  Irtim  you,  not  shout, 
and  thus  avoid  making  it  im pleasant  for  those 
who  are  near  you. 

You  will  find  that  it  is  the  low  notes  that 
require  the  i)ush.  Every  tone  of  voice  should  be 
directed  against  the  hard  palate,  and  allowed 
to  reverberate  or  reflect  to  the  pharynx,  but 
shoidd  not  hcqin  in  the  pliarynx.  I5y  observing 
this  precaution,  much  of  the  lK)arseness  and 
weariness  may  be  prevented,  as  the  throat  will 
expand  insteadof  contract.  Avoid  sending  only 
a/)tjrt  of  the  tones  to  a  distance,  and  allowing 
the  others  to  fall  at  your  feet.  This  method  of 
speaking  or  reading  is  what  we  term  "  dropping 
of  the  tone."    It  is  a  prevalent  fault. 


86  HOW    TO    READ, 

DROPPING  OF  THE  TONE. 

Rule. — Let  there  be  direct  waves  of  the  voice; 
avoid  spattering. 

Your  voice  should  flow  as  freel}^  as  an  un- 
broken stream  of  water  from  a  pitcher.  When 
the  stream  of  voice  is  jerky  or  broken,  it  is  like 
the  stream  of  water  were  you  to  pass  your  hand 
back  and  forth  through  it. 

Readers  and  speakers  make  it  very  tiresome 
for  their  auditors  when  the  effort  is  such  as  to 
require  the  straining  of  the  ear.  Cause  your 
hearers  to  be  rest/u/ instead  of  rest/ess. 

You  should  deal  with  thoughts  as  j^ou  deal 
with  tangible  objects. 

Suggestion. — A  teacher  or  reader  may  see  the 
full  force  of  this  by  standing  at  the  desk,  or  upon 
a  platform,  and  say :  "  There  are  some  circulars 
that  I  \vould  like  you  to  take  home  with  3^ou." 
Instead  of  handing  them  to  the  individuals  as 
they  are  seated  before  you,  throw  them. 

Some  will  reach  those  who  are  sitting  in  the 
front  rows  ;  the  remainder  w^ill  fall  short  of  their 
destination.  By  3^our  manner  of  distribution 
you  have  intimated  that  if  they  want  them  they 
can  come  and  pick  them  up.    So  it  is  with  your 


KKCITi;     AM)     IMI'KKSONATt;.  87 

thoughts.  Your  voice  should  convey  your 
thoughts  to  every  one  in  the  room,  and  in  such 
an  appropriate  manner  as  to  induce  the  hearers 
to  accept  them.  The  quaHty  of  3'our  voice  is 
just  as  essential  as  the  quantity. 

The  audience  should  not  only  be  a])le  to  hear 
and  understand,  hut  by  the  cjuality  of  your 
voice,  be  induced  to  listen. 


Fittinj^  the  Gurtncnt. 

In  all  reading  or  reciting  it  is  quite  important 
that  you  make  the  garment  a  ]ierfcct  fit. 

Rule. — Have  3'Our  tone  proportionate  to  the 
object  to  be  described,  and  the  sentiment  to  be 
expressed.  Do  not  represent  small,  insignificant 
things  with  a  full,  deep  tone,  nor  present  grand 
objects  or  ideas  with  naiTow  tones. 

A  large  garment  on  a  small  jierson,  or  vice 
versn,  would  be  no  more  lial)le  to  attract  atten- 
tion and  i)ossibly  ridicule,  than  would  the  use  of 
a  large  tone  to  describe  a  small  object,  or  a 
ismall  tone  to  describe  a  large  object. 


88  HOW    TO    READ, 


EXAMPLE. 


"  Roll  on,  thou  deep  and  dark  blue  ocean,  roll! 
Ten  thousand  fleets  sweep  over  thee  in  vain." 

The  reader  should  have  some  idea  of  the 
grandeur  of  these  objects,  and  should  express 
the  thoughts  by  a  full  orotund  tone. 

He  should  not  merely  call  the  words  and  give 
utterance  to  them  as  though  he  were  describing 
a  duck  pond  filled  with  the  miniature  boats  of 
children.  To  bring  this  more  vividh^  to  the 
mind  of  the  reader,  Avhether  in  the  school-room, 
or  at  the  reading  desk,  we  will  give  the  following 

Illustration. 

Take  a  marble  in  your  fingers  and  shoot  it 
across .  the  floor,  exclaiming  in  a  full,  orotund 
tone,  "Roll  on,  thou  little  marble,  roll!"  The 
inconsistency  will  at  once  be  apparent,  A^et  it  is 
no  more  so  than  describing  or  addressing  a  large 
object  with  a  small  tone. 

There  is  a  class  of  elocutionists  who  alwa^'S 
carry  their  sign  with  them;  they  use  the  orotund 
tone  on  all  occasions ;  they  are  a  peculiar  but 
prevailing  type  —  though,  by  no  means,  a 
prototype. 


RKCni,     AM)     IMI'KRSONATE.  89 

PERSONAL  GRIEF. 
In  the  rciulerinj^  of  pathetic  selections  or 
l)iithctic  scenes  the  tone  of  personal  grief  is  a 
fault,  and  it  will  excite  either  pity  or  contempt 
for  the  speaker.  It  is  the  lachrymose  tone.  The 
voice  in  such  cases,  is  too  narrow,  and  draws 
the  attention  to  the  speaker  rather  than  to  the 
character  he  wishes  to  present.  The  speaker 
should  be  only  the  medium,  and  the  tone  should 
be  broad  enough  to  include  all  mankind  who 
are  in  like  sorrow  or  affliction. 

RuLH. — Keep  back  3'our  tears  though  it  may 
require  a  struggle ;  the  tears  should  but  tinge 
the  tones  of  the  voice  and  then  the  struggle  to 
overcome  your  emotion  will  overcome  your 
audience  and  oblige  them  to  feel  your  sorrow. 
Your  words  will  thus  act  as  an  avenue,  or  as 
an  agent,  for  their  grief  as  well  as  3'ours,  and 
for  this  reason  the  tone  should  be  broad. 


WORDS  THHT   ECHO  THE   SENSE. 
RuLK. —  Words  which  have  a  certain  signifi- 
cnncc  peculiar  to  themselves  should  receive  due 
attention  and  an  appropriate  stress,  in  order  to 
give  them  the  correct  expression. 


90  HOW    TO    READ, 

EXAMPLE    I. 

Hard,  soft,  iron,  gold,  warm,  cold,  lovable, 
hateful,  disgusting,  enchanting,  and  words  of  a 
similar  nature,  come  under  this  heading. 

EXAMPLE   IL 

Beautiful,  should  be  full  of  beauty. 
Pitiful,  should  be  full  of  pity. 

EXAMPLE  III. 

"If  I  should  die  to-night, 
My  friends  would  look  uijon  my  quiet  face 
Before  they  laid  it  in  its  resting  j^lace. 
And  deem  that  death  had  left  it  almost  fair; 
And,  la3'ing  snoAv-white  flowers  against  my  hair, 
Would  smooth  it  down  with  tearful  tenderness, 
And  fold  niA-  hands  with  lingering  caress. 
Poor  hands,  so  empty  and  so  cold  to-night." 

In  the  rendering  of  the  foregoing  stanza,  the 
median  stress  should  be  employed  in  the  expres- 
sion of  all  emphatic  Avords  except  "empty;  "the 
very  character  of  this  word  does  not  admit  of 
fullness,  but  expresses  itself  b}'-  its  regretful 
cmntiness.      This  stanza   also   furnishes   a  fine 

A 

illustration  of  emphasis  vs.  stress,  or  force  vs. 
quality. 


KECITE    ANt)    IMTEKSONATE.  1)1 

EXPLANATORY  SENTENCES. 

Aluch  oC  our  reading  is  marred  by  too  little 
heerl  being  given  to  cxplanator\'  sentences. 

It  is  not  that  they  are  slighted,  but  on  the 
contrary,  arc  made  too  prominent. 

RuLii. — An  cxphiniitory  sentence  should  take 
the  snmc  inflection  as  that  \vhich  it  explains. 
A  void  giving  the  same  pitch. 

EXAMPLE. 

"The  ocean  old, 
Centuries  old, 
Strong  as  youth,  nnd  as  iiiicoiitrolled, 
Paces  restless  to  and  fro, 
ITp  and  down  the  sands  of  ;tiold." 

The  second  and  third  lines  are  explanatory, 
and  shoidd  be  taken  out  of  the  level  of  the  first 
and  fourth  lines  which  belong  on  the  same  level. 
Although  the  second  and  third  lines  arc  both 
explanatory,  they  should  not  a])i)car  on  the 
same  level. 

The  following  diagram,  will  illustrate  the 
relation  of  the  lines  to  each  other  as  regards  the 
pitch  of  the  voice. 

1.  "The   ocean    old,  4.  Taces    restless    to    ami    fro, 
3.  Strong  as  youth  and  as  inieontrolled, 

2,  Centuries  old,  5.  Up  and  down  the  sands  of  gold." 


92  HOW    TO    READ, 

Read  as  numbered,  both  as  to  the  pitch  of  the 
voice  and  the  numerical  order;  /.  e.,  number  4, 
should  be  on  the  same  voice  level  as  number  1, 
and  number  5  as  number  3. 

The  more  emotional  the  thought,  the  lower 
becomes  the  pitch  of  the  voice ;  but  as  the  mind 
is  addressed  as  distinguished  from  the  emotions, 
the  most  injportant  parts  should  be  higher  in 
pitch. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  An  old  clock  that  had  stood  for  hftv  years  in  a  fanner's 
kitchen,  early  one  snmmer's  morninii^,  without  <^iving  any 
warning,  suddenly  stopped." 

This  stanza  appeals  more  to  the  intellect  than 
to  theemotions.  It  should  be  read  as  numbered, 
and  as  to  the  voice  levels. 

3.  Early  one  summer's  morning, 

1.  An    old    clock  5.  Suddenly  stoj)])ed. 

2.  That  had   stood   fur  fifty  years   in   a  farmer's  kitchen, 

[4-.  Without  giving  any  warning, 

It  will  be  observed  that  the  subject  and  pred- 
icate are  on  the  same  leyel ;  hence  they  should  be 
given  with  the  same  pitch. 

The  tendency  to  give  explanatory  sentences 
too  much  prominence  is  still  more  clearly  shown 


RECITK    ANI'    IMPKRSONATK.  93 

in  prose  readings.  We  have  chosen  poetical 
selections  because  they  are  more  generally  used 
in  public  reading,  and  the  poems  from  \vhich  we 
quote  are  more  or  less  familiar  to  the  school- 
room readers. 

In  Mark  Twnin^s  description  of  European 
Guides,  we  have  a  good  illustration  of  explana- 
tory sentences.  In  school,  this  selection  is 
wholly  rend — no  action  taking  place;  that  is 
right,  as  also  the  reading  of  the  explanatory 
sentences,  if  ajipropriately  done;  /.  e.,  taken  out 
of  the  level  of  the  preceding  and  succeeding 
thought.  But  the  platform  reader  should 
wholly  f)mit  the  explanatory'  sentences,  because 
he  should  explain  them  by  his  actions.  In  all 
places  where  it  speaks  of  the  doctor  or  the  guide 
doing  thus  and  so,  the  reader  should  not  speak 
of  it  and  then  do  it,  l)ut  should  do  it  without 
speaking  of  it. 

The  explanatory  sentence  acted  by  the  reader 
should  not  be  voiced  by  him  ;  but ;/'  voiced,  as  is 
sometimes  the  case  in  poetry,  it  should  receive 
no  action. 

Poe's  "Raven"  furnishes  us  a  fme  example 
of  this.  All  the  cxjjlanatory  sentences  arcessen- 
tial  to  the   rhythmical   order,  and  to  the  com- 


94  HOW    TO    READ, 

pleteness  of  the  picture.  The  reader  should  speaA 
of  these  things,  but  should  not  do  them.  He  is 
speaking  of  a  time  in  the  past  when  he  was 
** nodding,  nearly  napping."    It  is  not  now. 

"Here  I  opened  wide  the  door."  He  does  not 
open  it  now.  "Straight  I  \vheeled  a  cushioned 
seat."  He  should  not  wheel  it  now.  These  are 
all  past  tense,  and  are  explanatory  of  what  he 
did  then.  These  \\\\\  all  be  much  more  impress- 
ive if  the  "nodding"  and  the  "napping,"  the 
"walking"  and  the  "wheeling"  are  left  to  the 
vivid  imagination  of  the  audience.  They  will 
thus  be  drawn  more  to  the  spirit  of  the  selection 
than  to  its  mechanism  ;  they  will  feel  him  as  he 
suffers  no\v,  and  see  him  as  he  suffered  then. 


PflRENTHETICflL  SENTENCES. 

Rule. — Parenthetical  sentences,  like  explana- 
tory ones,  are  taken  out  of  the  level  of  the 
preceding-  thought,  and  are  dealt  with  the  same 
as  the  explanatory  sentences  with  the  exception 
that,  inasmuch  as  they  do  not  explain,  they  can 
be  entirely  dropped  without  detracting  from  the 
thought. 


KKCITK     AM)     IMI'KKSONATK.  95 

EXAMP-LE. 

In  the  wigwam  with  Nokomis 

With  those  gloom_v  guests  that  watched  her, 

With  the  famine  and  the  fever, 

She  was  lying,  the  beloved, 

She  the  dying  Minnehaha. 

"  Hark !  "  she  said,  "  I  hear  a  rushing, 

Hear  a  roaring  and  a  rushing, 

Hear  the  Falls  of  Minnehaha. 

Calling  to  me  from  the  distance." 

"No,  my  child !  "  said  old  Nokomis, 

"  'Tis  the  night  wind  in  the  pine-trees!  " 

"  Look !  "  she  said,  "  I  see  nu-  father 

Standing  lonely  at  his  door  way. 

Beckoning  to  me  from  his  wigwam 

In  the  land  of  the  Dacotahs!  " 

"No,  my  child  !  "  said  old  Nokomis, 

"  'Tis  the  smoke  that  waves  and  beckons." 

The  parenthetical  sentences,  "she  said"  and 
"said  old  Nokomis  "  are  entirely  imnecessary  to 
the  rendition  of  the  thought.  Nokomis  and 
Minnehaha  have  both  been  mentioned  as  being 
in  the  tent.  It  does  not  require  an  expert  to  be 
able  to  distingush  between  the  voice  of  a  d^'ing 
young  woman  and  a  heathful  grandmother.  It 
may  be  argued  that  these  parenthetical  sentences 
are  essential  to  the  poetic  measure.  It  is  so  in 
many  cases,  but  not  in  this,  as  tha  pause  will  be 


96  HOW    TO    READ, 

more  effective,  and  less  likely  to  break  in  upon 
the  scene  and  destroy  the  spirit  of  the  selection, 
than  if  utterance  "were  given  to  that  which  does 
not  add  to  the  effect  nor  to  the  clearness  of  the 
thought.  In  a  conversation  with  Mr.  Long- 
fellow concerning  this  poem,  he  said  to  us.  "I 
cannot  say  what  form  of  writing  to  call  '  The 
Famine : '  it  is  not  exactty  blank  verse,  and  I 
question  whether  it  is  really  poetr3\  It  has  a 
peculiarity  all  its  o^vn.  The  omissions  j^ou 
make  are  perfecth"  admissible,  and  they  do  not, 
in  the  least,  detract  from  the  thought,  but  on 
the  contrary,  preserve  the  continuitj'." 


SHCRIFICING  NATURE. 

Rule. — Sacrificing- nnture  for  the  saA-e  of  the 
effect  produced  on  an  audience  is  both  wrong 
and  inartistic. 

EXAMPLE  I. 

And  the  onW  word  there  spoken. 
Was  the  wliispered  \vord,  "  Lenore!  " 
This  I  wliispered,  and  an  echo 
Murmured  back  the  word,  "Lenore!" 


RKCITi:     AND     IMPERSONATE.  U7 

Did  you  ever  hear  an  echo  to  a  whisper?  We 
never  did,  save  by  an  elocutionist — with  whom 
all  things  are  possible. 

The  effect  may  be  very  pleasant  to  an  audi- 
ence to  hear  the  \vord  "  Lenore  "  whispered,  and 
then  hear  an  echo  given  to  the  whispered  word — 
if  it  were  possible, — but  we  can  assure  3'ou  it  is 
not  natural. 

The  word  "whispered"  should  not  be  taken 
in  its  literal  sense,  and  even  if  it  were,  it  should  be 
narrated.  You  are  merely  telling  of  something 
that  has  occurred,  not  something  that  is 
occurring. 

EXAMPLK   II. 

"And  the  wind 
About  the  ciivcs  of  the  cottapc 
Sobs  .-md  jjfricvcs." 

It  is  neither  necessary  nor  natural  that  the 
reader  should  so  far  impersonate  the  wind  as  to 
do  the  sobbing  and  grieving,  however  pleasant 
(?)  it  nia3'  he  to  an  audience.  We  are  aware 
that  such  selections  take — take  wind  ;  but  wind3' 
readers  and  reciters  are  not  artists. 


98  HOW    TO    READ, 

UNFHMILmR  WORDS  OR  TERMS. 

Rule. — In  speaking  an  unfamiliar  name, 
word  or  term  make  sufficient  pause  before  and 
pause  after  the  thought,  to  give  your  hearers 
time  to  comprehend  the  same. 

When  one  is  obhged  to  make  an  effort  to 
catch  a  word  or  phrase  that  was  lost  in  conse- 
quence of  the  reader  violating  the  foregoing 
rule,  the  succeeding  thought  will  also  be  lost; 
hence  the  interest  slackens. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  For  lo !  along  the  river's  bed 
A  mighty  ej'gre  reared  its  crest." 

The  "word  "eygre"  (a-gur)  should  come 
under  this  rule. 

Ministers  should  guard  against  this  fault  in 
reading  the  Biblical  names  of  persons,  rivers, 
cities,  etc.,  with  \vhich  the  congregation  may 
not  be  wholly  conversant. 


CONJUNCTIONS. 

Rule. —  All  conjunctions  (and,  but,  etc.,) 
should  be  passed  over  lightly  unless  thej^  are  in- 
tended as  aids  to  a  rhetorical  pause,  or  to  be 


RECITE    ANU    IMPERSONATE.  99 

emphasized  in  consequence  of  contrast.  They 
are  not  always  unimportant,  hence  require  very 
judicious  handling. 

EXAMPLE. 

"One  Day  Solitary." 

—J.  T.  Trowbridge. 
"Here  I  am  at  the  end  of  my  journey. 
And — well,  it  ain't  jollj',  not  so  very! — 
I'd  like  to  throttle  that  sharp  attorney." 

EXAMPLE    n. 

"The  Emigrant's  Story." 

— /.  T.  Trowbridge. 

"Then  the  wind  took  us,  and — 
Well,  the  next  minute  I  found  myself,"  etc. 

EXAMPLE    TIT. 

"Just  as  I  am !  without  one  plea 
(1st  plea)     But  that  thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
(2d  plea)    And  that  thou  bidst  me  come  to  thee." 

"Without  one  plea" — except  the  two  given: 
hence  "one"  is  not  intended  to  be  taken  literally, 
but  the  same  as  if  written  "  without  any  plea," 
etc. 

The  word  "and"  should  be  emphasized  and 
followed  b3'  a  rhetorical  pause. 


loo  HOW    TO    READ, 

EXAMPLE    IV. 

I  said  you  or  he,  not  you  and  he. 


THE  ARTICLE  R. 

Do  not  obscure  the  article  A  nor  do  not  speak 
it  so  clearly  as  to  invite  special  attention  to  it. 

Rule.  —  Speak  the  "a"  as  you  would  in 
hastily  repeating  the  alphabet. 

The  "  a, "  when  emphaized ,  should  have  its  long 
sound  ;  i.  e.  its  name  sound.  In  all  other  cases  it 
should  be  the  long  sound  of  "  a  "  slightly  touched. 
It  should  never  drop  to  the  sound  of  u.  This  is 
slovenly.  The  article  should  always  be  pro- 
nounced v^ith  the  noun  as  though  it  were  apart 
of  it;  i.  e.,  a  boy,  should  be  pronounced  the  same 
as  the  words  above,  about,  amid,  again,  etc., 
when  they  are  correctly  given. 

One  would  not  think  of  saying  ubeceda'rian 
for  abecedarian,  yet  we  seldom  hear  any  thing 
but  umer'ucun for  amer'ican, — the  long  "  a  "and 
the  short  "  a  "  obscure ;  /.  e.,  slightly  touched. 


I 


THE  ARTICLE  THE. 
Rule. — T-h-e  is  pronounced  the. 
Teach  a  child  that  t-h-e  is  pronounced  the, 


KECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  101 

but  that  he  must  not  put  any  more  force  upon 
it  than  upon  any  other  unaccented  word.  The 
result  will  be  that  when  the  article  immediately^ 
precedes  a  vowel,  he  will  give  the"  e  "the  sound  of 
long  "  c  "  slightly  touched ,  and  if  the  "  e  "  immed i- 
atel3^  precedes  a  consonant,  the  vocal  organs  will 
readily  adjust  themselves  unconsciousl3'  to  the 
child  for  the  sound  of  the  next  position  below 
long  "c"  ;  /.  c,  i  (thi).  But  once  teach  the  child 
that  t-b-c  is  sometimes  thu,  and  our  word  for  it, 
it  will  be  thu  very  last  time  you  will  hear  the  or 
till. 

VOWEL    EXAMPLES. 

(The).  Thearm3%  The  evil.  The 'idea.  Thcoecan.  The 
union.  The  aetor.  The  enemy.  The  Indian.  The  oddest. 
The  upper. 

CONSONANT    EXAMPLES. 

(ThO.  The  bad.  The  cold.  The  dot.  The  flow.  The 
good.  Thehi-^h.  The  jar.  The  lad.  The  May.  The  night. 
The  pay.  The  (juinee.  The  ray.  The  sun.  The  tar.  The 
■'nne.    The  willow.     The  vokc.    The  zebra. 


INDIVIDUALITY. 
The   tencbcr   in    the   public   school,    the  //?- 
structor  for  the  pulpit,   for  the  rostrum  or  for 


102  HOW    TO    READ, 

the  stage,   should  alw^ays  aim  to  preserve  the 
individuality  of  the  pupil. 

Rule. — Avoid  teachinghy  imitation. 
"  Borro\\^ed    individuahties,    Hke    borrowed 
garments,  seldom  fit." 

The  full  power  of  a  pupil  can  never  be  devel- 
oped by  imitation.  It  is  often  the  case  that  a 
pupil  possesses  greater  native  talent  than  his 
teacher.  The  instructor  should  be  keen  enough 
to  observe  this,  and  master  enough  to  touch  the 
right  springs  of  action  for  the  pupil.  By  this 
imitation  teaching,  otherwise  excellent  minis- 
ters, orators  and  readers  have  been  shorn  of 
their  native  power.  The^--  cannot'soar  upon  the 
wings  of  eloquence,  as  is  often  their  want  and 
need,  because  they  have  unfortunately  fallen  in- 
to the  hands  of  one  who  adopted  the  profession 
of  teaching,  but  was  never  adopted  by  it.  Such 
a  teacher  lacks  adaption.  He  attacks  the  man's 
mannerisms,  and  with  his  professional  shears  he 
clips  the  wings  of  the  bom  eagle. 


Mannerisms. 
Mannerisms  are  quite  frequently,  the  great 
power  of  an  orator. 


RECITE    AND    IMPERSONATE.  103 

The  true  teacher  will  readily  discriminate 
between  those  that  add  strength  to  the  speaker 
and  those  that  clog  the  wheels  of  his  progressive 
nature.  Allow  him  to  keep  the  former,  1)ut  aid 
him  to  gradually  lay  b}-  the  latter.  Impress 
upon  your  pujiils  in  the  school-room,  and  of 
whatsoever  calling,  that  anything  which  detri- 
mentally attracts  to  the  individual,  is  liable  to 
detract  from  the  thought.  We  would  prefer 
defectiveness  to  affectation. 


Sound  vs.  Sense. 

Rule. — Do  not  mistake  volume  of  voice  for 
intensity  of  expression. 

The  loudest  tones  are  not  rdways  the  most 
soul  stirring.  The  clock  with  the  loudest  tick  is 
not  always  the  best.  "It  is  the  empty  wagon 
that  makes  the  most  noise."  The  more  intense 
the  emotional  expression,  the  lower  should  be 
the  pitch  of  the  voice;  the  more  intense  the 
mental,  the  higher  should  be  the  pitch  of  the 
voice. 

EXAMPLE. 

"Tcll's  address  to  the  .Mps." 


104  HOW    TO    READ, 

This  may  be  shouted  as  an  exercise  for  the 
voice,  but  when  the  soul  is  put  in  it,  the  voice 
will  lower  in  proportion  to  the  "impress  of 
divine  awe." 

Here  again,  in  sound  vs.  sense,  we  have  the 
same  type  of  elocutionist  as  the  one  who  gets 
the  garment  to  large  for  the  object. 


DECLHMHTORY  vs.  THE  Ni=ITURflL. 
Rule. — Avoid  taking  a  higher  pitch  when  it 
is  increased  force  that  is  needed. 

EXAMPLE. 

"  Cassius'  speech  on  Honor"  should  not  be  declaimed  as 

though   Cassius  -were  speaking  to   a  man  a  hundred  feet 

away,  and  as  thoiigh  Cassius  had  -written  it  down  to  speak 

at  Brutus  the  first  time  he  met  him.    Have  the  tone,  the 

volume  of  voice,  the  general  character,  consistent  with  the 
sense. 

There  are  two  schools  of  elocution  as  there  are 
two  schools  of  acting.  The  declamatory  school 
gives  every  word  as  if  it  \vere  committed  to 
memory,  and  the  gestures  and  attitudes  are  con- 
spicuous by  the  conscious  effort  of  the  performer. 
The  natural  school  gives  every  thought  as  if  it 
were  born  at  the  moment  and  uttered  for  the 


RECITK     AM»     IMPERSONATE.  lOo 

first  time;  the  gestures  and  attitudes  though 
quite  profuse  do  not  invite  special  attention  as 
the}--  are  not  given  as  though  the  performer  were 
conscious  of  them — and  he  should  not  be — yet, 
Avhen  attested  b}"-  the  philosophy  of  expression 
thc}^  are  correct,  because  they  were  sponta- 
neous ;  the  mechanism  not  being  visible. 


BOWING. 

This,  of  course,  is  not  done  in  school  reading, 
but  is  reserved  until  the  essay,  the  oration  or 
the  declamation  is  given.  We  are  all  familiar 
with  the  stereot\'ped  bow ;  it  has  been  the  same 
for  ages  ;  it  asserts  itself  upon  the  platform  with 
the  public  reader  or  speaker. 

We  would  not  be  so  cruel  as  to  rob  the  school- 
boy or  school-girl  of  this  privilege  and  pleasure, 
for  they,  as  well  as  the  audience,  often  get  more 
satisfaction  from  the  bow  than  from  any- 
thing else. 

It  is  our  intention  to  speak  a  word  concern- 
ing its  significance  and  appropriateness  as 
relating  to  the  rostrum. 

The  i)ublic  speaker  or  reader  has  no  more 
cause  to  make  a  bow,  than  has  tlic  minister, — 
save   in    response    to    applause.       In    case    of 


106  HOW    TO    READ, 

applause,  he  has  an  acknowledgement  to  which 
he  must  respond  in  return  for  something  ren- 
dered him. 

It  is  very  rude  not  to  return  a  bow.  An 
audience  never  does.  It  is  true,  it  may  be  a 
compliment  to  the  speaker  that  the  people  are 
present ;  but  he  should  make  it  a  compliment  to 
them  that  he  is  there.  If  he  is  a  master  of  his 
subject,  they  become  indebted  to  him ;  if  he  is 
not  a  master,  he  has  no  right  there.  If  one  still 
insists  upon  following  the  fashion,  or  has  need 
to  bow  as  an  acknowledgment,  we  offer  the 
following:  make  a  graceful  bow  by  merely  in- 
clining the  head.  True,  this  is  cold,  but  it  is  in 
keeping  with  a  cold  reception ;  nevertheless,  it  is 
respect  of  the  highest  order  and  in  harmony 
with  the  dignity  of  your  position. 

If,  however,  you  meet  with  a  warm  reception, 
you  should,  in  proportion  to  its  heartiness, 
return  your  heart-felt  appreciation  by  inclining 
the  body  from  the  waist, — in  so  doing  you 
incline  the  heart  as  well  as  the  head.  Do  not 
drop  the  head  so  low  as  to  hide  the  e^-^es.  Keep 
them  steadily  fixed  upon  the  audience,  or  the 
bow  will  be  of  such  a  nature  as  to  bring  you 
within  the  realm  of  humiliation —  a  positioi] 


RECITH     AM)     IMI'IiKSONATi;.  107 

which  should  never  be  taken  by  a  speaker. 

Be  not  pompous,  but  firm  ;  keep  a  reserve  of 
power  in  your  voice,  in  your  attitudes,  and  in 
your  general  bearing. 


TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 


As  "  There  are  loves  and  loves,"  so  there  are 
readers  and  readers.  It  is  an  error  to  suppose 
that  every  one  can  become  a  good  reader. 
Readers,  like  orators,  are  born,  not  made.  It  is 
essential  to  have  constantly  before  us  the  highest 
type  of  manhood  and  womanhood  as  our  ideal; 
to  be  possessed  of  the  finest  sensibilities ;  to  be 
thorough  students  of  human  nature ;  else  how 
could  we  interpret  such  characters. 

Our  greatest  orators,  ministers,  readers  and 
public  speakers  are  those  wdiose  words  shine 
right  through  a  clean,  pure,  white  soul — aj', 
breathing,  as  it  were,  the  very  breath  of  the 
Divine. 

Two  questions  naturally  arise  here:  First, 
is  it  to  be  understood  that  these  qualities  cannot 
be  acquired?      Second,   if  one    possesses  these 

(108) 


TRUK    AND    FALSI':    KLOCl'TIO.V.  ^(j<j 

qualities,  what  need  of  a  teacher?  These  quali- 
ties can  not  be  acciuircd  ;  there  must  be  a  germ, 
and  that  germ  innate;  hence  it  will  not  ])e  an 
acquisition  but  a  cultivation  of  those  qualities. 
There  must  be  a  something  to  cultivate,  and 
the  residt  will  be  in  proportion  to  the  eon- 
geniality  of  the  soil. 

Why  do  we  need  the  teacher?  The  possessor 
of  these  talents,  like  the  unrefined  gold  or  the 
diamond  in  the  rough,  must  of  necessity  pass 
through  a  certain  process,  according  to  the  in 
dividual  needs,  before  claiming  the  highesx 
attention,  and  being  of  the  greatest  value.  In 
some  cases  these  talents  may  possibly  lie  dor- 
mant, and  even  be  unconscious  to  the  possessor, 
but,  like  the  instrument  which  cannot  of  itself 
play,  it  needs  but  the  master  hand  to  bring 
forth  its  sweetest  melodies. 

One  may  ])ossess  the  sf)irit\  yet  ha\'e  nitichto 
learn  that  the  sjiirit  alone  will  not  supply;  for 
instance,  no  one  will  read,  sjK'ak  or  sing  to  the 
best  advantage  who  docs  not  brenthc correctly . 

By  a  very  careful  estimate  it  is  found  that 


110  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

only  about  eight  in  one  hundred  breathe  cor- 
rectly, and  not  more  than  about  one  in  five  thou- 
sand— many  of  these  teachers  of  elocution  and 
teachers  of  vocal  music — understand  the  proper 
management  of  the  breath;  i.  e.,  to  economize 
the  expenditure  of  breath  in  the  production  of 
tone.  Strange  that  we  have  lived  all  these  j^ears 
and  do  not  breathe  correctly?  No,  no  more 
strange  that  we  violate  this  than  any  other  of 
nature's  laws.  But  this  fault,  like  all  others 
must  be  duly  atoned  for. 

Do  you  ask  for  proof?  You  will  find  it  in 
worn  out  ministers  and  other  public  speakers 
all  over  the  country,  many  of  whom  have  not 
yet  reached  their  prime. 

We  desire  to  call  special  attention  to  one  very 
important  fact,  which  all  leading  physicians 
will  confirm ;  viz.  There  are  more  cases  of 
bronchitis  and  pulmonary  consumption  caused 
by  an  ignorance  of  the  proper  use  of  the  lungs 
and  larynx  than  by  all  other  causes  combined. 

To  prevent  and  remedy  this  trouble  is  the 
^^^ork  of  the  teacher  of  elocution.    Therefore  tlie 


i 


TRUR  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION.  Ill 

first  step  is  to  take  the  pupil  back  to  childhood. 
Every  heathful  child  lireathes  correctly,  but,  as 
he  grows  older,  he  seems  to  grow  lU)  wiser  in 
this  respect. 

Many  ])eople — especially  ladies — make  a  very 
serious,  ay,  a  fatal  mistake,  in  assuming  e 
wisdom  beyond  that  of  the  Supreme  Being,  ir 
endeavoring  to  reverse  the  order  of  the  size  pi 
the  lungs.  Thus,  through  bad  habits,  and- 
worse  corsets — and  possiblj-  by  inheriting  weak 
constitutions,  we  find  so  much  of  incorrect 
breathing;  and  this,  as  has  already  been  shown, 
brings  with  it  other  defects,  physical,  and  con- 
sequentlj'-  vocal,  many  of  which  come  under  the 
direct  province  of  the  true  teacher  of  elocution, 
who,  to  besuch,must  of  necessity  I'c  tiioroughh' 
versed  in  vocal  jihysiology ;  and,  having  this 
knowledge  of  the  breathing  and  vocal  appa- 
ratus, he  can  readily  and  eftectively  do  with 
vocal  treatment  what  cannot  be  so  successfully 
and  satisfactorily  d(.)nc  with  medicine. 

The  medicine  Timy  remove  the  elTect  b;]t  does 
not   reach  the  cause,  and  the   same  cause  will 


±^2  TRUE    AND    FALSE    ELOCUTION. 

produce  a  like  effect ;  therefore,  by  understand- 
ing the  use  of  the  voice,  much  of  the  lung, 
bronchial  and  throat  trouble  can  be  entirely 
eradicated,  and,  known  in  time,  can  be 
prevented. 

This  knowledge  will  enable  one  to  use  the 
voice  for  hours,  for  consecutive  nights,  even  for 
consecutive  months,  without  hoarseness  or 
w^eariness ;  but,  on  the  contrary  this  use,  like 
every  healthful  exercise,  will  invigorate  the 
whole  system.  This  very  important  brancn  of 
our  work  is  here  stated,  because  a  very  general 
idea  prevails  that  the  business  of  an  elocutionist 
is  only  to  teach  those  who  intend  to  become 
public  readers .  Year  after  year,  from  our  various 
institures  are  graduated  pupils  to  fill  important 
positions — the  pulpit,  the  bar,  the  school-room, 
etc.,  with  no  knowledge  whatever  of  the  use  of 
the  human  voice.  Mark  the  result.  Call  to 
mind  as  many  as  you  will  who  occupy  these 
positions,  and  how  many  are  exempt  from  some 
throat,  lung  or  bronchial  trouble,  arising  wholly 
from  an  improper  use  of  the  lungs  and  larynx. 


TRIIC    AND     PALSK    ELOCUTION.  113 

Our  pupils  arc  furnished  with  knowlecl<2:e,  but 
no  medium  for  the  conveyance  of  that  knowl- 
edge; they  are  given  the  sword,  but  no  handle 
wherewith  to  wield  it.  The}-  know  little  or 
nothing  of  the  human  voice,  "the  great  outlet 
and  passage  way  of  the  soul,  the  canvas  upon 
which  we  may  throw  thought  and  feeling  that 
others  may  see  and  read ;  the  divine  current 
which  allies  man  to  his  fellow." 

It  matters  not  in  what  business  3''Ou  may  be 
engaged,  or  whether  a  lady  or  gentleman  of 
leisure,  you  will  iind  in  the  study  of  true  elocu- 
tion that  which  will  meet  3'our  individual  nc^'-^s 
and  the  better  lit  3-011  for  business  or  for  the 
social  circle.  Tlie  stud^-  of  the  voice  alone  is 
advantageous  in  ever\'  vocation  of  life.  "  The 
business  man  la3's  his  voice  1)3^  the  side  of  his 
wares,  and  the  e3'e  of  the  purchaser  liarmonizes 
with  the  ear  in  its  judgment."  Some  voices 
repel,  others  attract.  In  the  home  circle,  and  in 
fact  ever3' where,  it  is  well  to  remember  that 
"Molasses    catches  more  flies   than   vinegar." 


114-  -      TRUE    AND    FALSE    ELOCUTION. 

Sweeten  your  voices  and  you  will  sweeten  your 
lives  and  3^our  homes. 

You  should  not  be  satisfied  with  voice  build- 
ing only,  but  culture  the  voice  also,  and  this 
cultured  voice  will  be  reflex  in  its  action.  "  Ac- 
quirement may  pass  away,  but  culture  never 
leaves  a  man.  By  acquirement  a  man  has^ 
something,  by  culture  he  is  something.  Culture 
engrosses  the  \vhole  man." 

The  tone  of  voice  bespeaks  the  individual. 
One  may  be  exquisitely^  dressed,  yet  show  no 
proof  of  his  good  taste,  for  it  may  be  the  work 
of  another;  but  when  \ve  hear  him  speak  we 
are  not  long  in  determining  whether  any  one 
lives  there  or  not,  for  "  Expression  is  the  dress 
of  thought."  Thus  the  quality  oi  the  voice  is 
just  as  essential  as  the  quantity. 

Your  hearers  should  not  only  be  able  to  hear 
and  understand,  l)ut  by  the  quality  of  your 
voice  be  induced  to  listen. 

A  didl,  monotonous  reader  \vill  not  win  the 
ear,  however  faultless  otherwise  the  rendering 
of  the  sense.     Every  color  of  the  rainbow  is 


TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION.  115 

depicted  in  the  human  voice ;  hence  the  reader 
will — in  proportion  as  he  is  an  artist — use  the 
artist's  precision  in  the  la^'ing  on  of  tints  and 
the  grouping  of  objects.  Coloring,  in  reading, 
may  be  described  as  the  different  phases  of 
emotional  expression  in  the  voice.  The  picture 
should  be  distinct  in  the  mind  of  the  reader,  the 
central  figure  corresponding  with  the  emphatic 
word.  This  distinctness  must  be  carefulh^  ob- 
served, else  the  audience  will  fail  to  see  a  clear 
painting.  One  of  the  old  Arabian  proverbs  is, 
"  When  you  read  of  a  horse,  see  the  prints  of  its 
hoofs." 

Let  us  no^v  look  for  a  moment  at  some  of 
the  faults  of  readers  and  teachers  of  elocution. 
There  are  none  of  us  without  faults,  but  what 
will  here  be  mentioned,  are  among  the  more 
palpable. 

There  are  teachers  who  allow  jjupils  to 
begin  rcatling  without  any  knowledge  of  the 
breathing  or  vocal  apparatus,  or  the  slightest 
idea  of  the  formation  of  the  elementary  sounds 
of    the    English    language;    consequently,    the 


116  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

critical  ear  must  be  the  victim  of  the  harsh 
and  discordant  sounds,  the  faulty  articula- 
tion and  pronunciation,  and  many  other  de- 
fects consequent  on  such  teaching.  But  this  is 
not  all ;  teachers  who  ign®re  this,  from  what- 
ever cause,  are  generally  those  who  teach  the 
do-as-I-do  system;  i.e.,  nothing  but  imitation. 
What  an  error,  when  we  consider  the  fact  that 
Ave  are  more  apt  in  imitating  faults  than  excel- 
lences. "As  reason  increases,  imitation  de- 
creases." By  this  imitation  teaching  v^e  soon 
find  the  pupil  a  mere  machine,  at  no  time  in 
sympathy  with  the  subject,  merely  calling 
words  without  any  thoughts ;  so  that  such 
teachers  without  developing  and  disciplining  the 
mind  to  act  for  itself,  or  enabling  their  pupils 
not  only  to  perceive  the  thoughts  of  the  great 
authors,  but  to  comprehend  them,  and  by  the 
voice  and  its  auxilliaries  to  intelligenth^  and 
satisfactorily  present  them  to  an  audience,  thej^ 
are  merely  teaching  them  to  declaim,  and  caus- 
ing them,  as  has  just  been  stated,  to  be  mechan- 
ical in  their  work.     (See  page  101). 


TRUE  AXn  FALSE  ELOCL'TIOX.  H7 

A  statue  is  not  a  work  of  art  when  it  shows 
the  marks  of  the  tools  ;  neither  is  the  reader  an 
artist  when  he  shows  the  mechanism  in  his 
work, — ay,  even  if  he  shows  himself 

When  we  look  at  a  beautiful  building  and 
admire  its  architecture,  we  see  a  work  of  art ; 
w^e  see  the  result  of  mechanism  and  not  the 
mechanism  itself;  neither  is  there  now  any 
trncc  of  the  rough  scaffolding  which  was  neces- 
sary for  its  completion.  So  it  is  with  all  art; 
whether  it  be  "in  the  cold  marble,  or  on  the  can- 
vas, or  on  the  printed  page."  we  should  see  no 
trace  of  anything  which  would  mar  its  beaut3\ 
The  reader  should  step  upon  the  jjlatform  free 
from  aught  that  would  detract  from  the 
thought.  Before  an  audience  is  not  the  place  to 
practice;  but  hours  and  da\'S,  and  even  months, 
of  i)rivate  work  are  necessar3',  so  that  the  pre- 
vious drill  will  assure  us  that  every  tone  Oi 
voice,  everj^  position  of  the  bod\',  every  gesture 
and  facial  expression,  will  respond  to  the  im- 
pulses of  the  will.  Then  all  will  work  in  perfect 
harmony,  and  thought  will  be  the  motive  power. 


118  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION, 

All  this  requires  much  patience  and  study,  but  be 
assured,  "  The  object  is  worthy  the  effort." 

A  gentleman  in  Paris  took  his  sontoDelsarte 
--the  great  master  of  expression — to  have  him 
prepared  for  the  stage.  The  gentleman  asked 
Delsarte  what  play  he  should  begin  with ;  the 
answer  was,  "  Not  any."  "  What  book  will  he 
use?  "  "Not  any."  He  began  with  the  j^oung 
man  on  one  word,  he  ended  with  him  on  that 
one  word,  but  not  until  he  could  speak  it  625 
ways,  with  its  corresponding  expressions — facial 
and  vocal — gestures, intonations, positions,  etc., 
and  when  that  was  satisfactorily  done,  the 
young  man  passed  from  that  instruction  to  the 
stage,  and  became  an  actor  of  great  versatility 
and  power. 

Let  us  look  again  at  another  class  of  readers 
and  teachers  —  especially  readers  —  who  have 
never  had  a  lesson  in  elocution.  Would  you  not 
deem  it  an  act  of  insanity  were  a  man  to  make 
music  or  painting  his  profession,  without  pre- 
vious study  with  a  master  of  the  art  he  pur- 
poses to  practice?     Reference  is  here  made  to  a 


trit:  ami   ialse  elocution.  IH) 

class  of  readers  who  palm  themselves  off  as  pro- 
fessionals, but  possess  no  right  whatever  to  the 
title.  They  belong  to  that  large  class  oi  natural 
readers  who  are  self-satisfied,  and  seem  to  take 
pride  in  the  thought  that  they  arc  self-made.  So 
they  are,  and  generally  worship  their  creator. 

There  are  many  so-called  natural  readers  who 
are  very  unnatural.  Naturalness  should  be  con- 
sistent with  nature,  and  that  of  the  highest 
order.  The  writer  of  this  article  was  once  a 
natural  reader,  i.  e.,  naturally  a  very  awkward 
and  tem])estuous  one.  Though  thoroughly  in- 
fused witn  the  spirit  of  the  subject,  his  nature 
had  become  more  or  less  perverted,  or  circum- 
stances over  which  lie  hnd  no  control  had  for  a 
time  governed  him:  conseciuenLly  he  was 
cramped  in  his  expressions.  It  is  essential  to  be 
free,  free  as  the  mountain  stream,  which,  rasli- 
ing  hither  and  thither,  is  ever  obedient  to  its 
source.  These  persons  who  are  self-nmdc  and 
/jecf/ no  instruction,  remind  us  very  much  of  the 
boy  who  built  the  ship.  On  being  questioned 
as  to  the  mecluniic,  he  re])lied  that  he  built  it 


120  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

himself  all  out  of  his  own  head,  and  had  plenty 
wood  left  for  another.  Again,,  we  find  a  class 
of  teachers  who  claim  to  give  you  all  in  ten 
lessons.  Possibly  so  ;  i.  e.,  all  they  have.  All  of 
elocution  cannot  be  taught  in  ten  lessons,  nor 
ten  weeks,  nor  ten  months,  nor  ten  years.  It  is 
the  work  of  a  lifetime,  notwithstanding  to  the 
contrary  there  are  teachers  who  claim  to  be  able 
to  graduate  any  one  in  three  months,  no  matter 
whether  he  has  any  brains  or  not.  Such  teach- 
ers have  elocution  on  the  brain,  but  very  little 
brain  on  elocution.  Perfection  is  unknown  in 
this  art ;  were  it  possible  to  reach  that  state, 
there  would  be  nothing  more  to  work  for.  As 
we  advance  so  does  our  ideal.  It  is  not  claimed 
that  nothing  can  be  done  in  ten  lessons ;  very 
much  indeed  may  be  accomplished,  according 
to  the  ability  of  the  teacher  and  the  aptness 
of  the  pupil. 

It  is  astonishing  to  note  the  lack  of  judg- 
ment, at  times,  that  the  great  mass  of  people 
show  in  reference  to  elocution.  For  instance — a 
pupil  ^vho  has  had  no   previous  instruction  in 


TKIK    ANI>    1-ALSIi    liLOCUTlON.  121 

the  art,  ])rol)ably  has  never  read  a  line  in  public 
and,  what  is  more,  cannot  even  call  the  words; 
has  a  voice  throaty,  possibh^  nasal,  withal; 
does  not  know  what  a  gesture  means  ;  can  only 
make  a  few  motions  and  those  of  a  pump- 
handle  nature;  has  not  firmness  enough  to  even 
stand  erect  before  an  audience;  lacks  ideality 
and  individuality,  and  never  dreams  of  sublim- 
ity; such  a  one,  with  these  and  many  other 
faidts  halving  finished  a  course  of  ten  lessons, 
and  being  invited  to  pass  an  evening  with 
friends,  is  imi)ortuned  to  read,  and  the  an- 
nouncement that  he  does  not  yet  feel  competent 
so  to  do  is  received  with  astonishment.  What, 
ten  lessons,  and  not  able  to  read  ? 

Would  you  think  of  asking  a  ]nipil  at  the 
completion  of  ten  lessons  in  either  vocal  or  in- 
strumental music  to  entertain  friends?  Is  not 
the  one  just  as  reasonable  a  demand  as  the 
other?  Is  it  not  strange  that,  while  multitudes 
are  industriously  striving  to  learn  the  art  of 
singing,  it  a])pcars  not  to  be  known  tliat  the 
art  of  reading  and  speaking  demands  ecpially 


122  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

patient  study,  and  is  vastly  more  useful  when 
attained  ?  Are  you  aware  that  in  the  use  of  the 
human  voice  you  are  learning  to  play  upon  the 
most  delicate  and  difficult  instrument  in  the 
world  ?  Simple,  'tis  true,  but  all  the  greater  for 
its  simplicity.  No  heart  so  hardened  that  may 
not  be  touched  by  its  melodies.  Reading  is  both 
a  science  and  an  art.  "Science  is  a  knowledge 
of  facts  and  forces ;  art  is  the  intellectual  and 
manual  power  to  control  such  forces  for  the 
gratification  and  benefit  of  mankind.  Science  is 
the  embodiment  of  intellectual  discoveries ;  art 
is  the  archangel  which  puts  theory  into  practice 
for  the  world's  permanent  good."  The  highest 
art  is  to  conceal  art.  "To  hold  the  mirror  up 
to  nature."  Nature  should  never  be  sacrificed 
for  the  sake  of  effect.  (See  page  96). 

Let  us  study  nature  in  its  various  forms  and 
learn  to  appreciate  an  jirtist,  whether  he  be  on 
the  stage  or  platform,  and  it  w^ill  be  but  a  short 
time  till  acting  and  reading  of  this  order  ^vill 
receive  its  true  and  due  merit,  and  the  ranter 
will  have  had  his  day.    The  word  elocution  has 


TRl'K    AND    FALSE    ELOCUTIOiN.  123 

become  so  perverted  that  we  have  now  come  to 
look  upon  an  elocutionist  as  one  who  plays 
with  his  voice;  /.  c,  the  more  noise  the  moreelo- 
cution,  thcrcb}'  falling  into  the  very  common 
error  of  mistaking  volume  of  voice  for  intensity 
of  exprCvSsion.     (See  page  103). 

The  very  root  of  all  oratory  is  to  gain  the 
S3'mpath3^  of  your  audience,  and  this  is  done,  in 
a  great  degree,  by  the  tone  of  voice;  and  the 
voice,  to  be  thoroughly  sympathetic,  must  have 
the  heart  element  in  it.  "True  eloquence  con- 
sists in  not  only  feeling  a  truth  j^ourself,  but  in 
making  those  \vho  hear  you  feel  it."  There  are 
three  channels  through  which  every  vocal  ex- 
pression must  pass  in  order  to  be  effectual  and 
serve  for  proof  as  to  whether  the  speaker  is  in 
SA'mpathy  with  his  subject,  viz.,  mental,  facial 
and  vocal,  and  will  be  expressed  in  this  order. 
Words  from  the  mind  are  but  the  mind  made 
audible,  and  the  tone  of  voice  \vill  therefore  vary 
\vith  ever}'  wave  of  thought  or  fcx^ling.  Every 
sentence  should  be  fraught  with  meaning;  but 
the  speaker  should  so  control  his  voice  3s  tQ 


^^24.  TRUE    AND    FALSE    ELOCUTION. 

address  his  hearers  in  such  a  manner  that  they 
will  be  conscious  of  a  reserved  power,  a  force 
behind  the  actual  expression,  which  thej^  feel, 
but  cannot  measure.  In  the  rendering  of  what 
is  pathetic,  personal  grief  is  a  fault,  and  excites 
either  pity  or  contempt  for  the  speaker.  We 
must  feel  the  grief  that  takes  in  all  mankind. 
(See  page  89).  The  greater  the  grief,  the  deeper, 
and  more  nearly  inexpressible,  when  it  does  have 
vent,  the  result  is  not  mereh^  a  bubbling  over  at 
the  lips,  but  a  bursting  forth  as  though  the  very 
heart  would  break. 

Our  control  over  an  audience  is  in  proportion 
to  our  control  over  ourselves.  There  is  proba- 
bly no  word  in  the  English  language  that  will 
better  conve^^  our  meaning — though  more  ex- 
pressive than  elegant — than  "  slopping  over." 

Artemus  Ward  said  of  George  Washington, 
"He  never  slopped  over."  The  application  of 
this  remark  in  reading  is  this;  however  pa- 
thetic the  selection,  try  to  master  your  grief 
instead  of  idlowing  it  to  master  3^ou.  Fhis  ver3^ 
inward  struggle  of  the  emotions  will  give  you  a 


TRUE    AM)    KALSE    EI.OC  TTH  >N.  ILT) 

power  over  an  audience  that  can  never  be  hail 
if  you  allow  the  tears  perfect  freedom  ;  in  other 
w^ords,  tinge  your  voice  with  the  sadness  of 
your  heart,  and  in  proportion  as  you  have  pre- 
viously- acquainted  \'Ourself  with  the  voice  in  its 
varied  moods,  3'ou  will  express  greater  or  less 
emotion.     Do  not  mistnke  this  word  emotion. 
We  frequenth^  have  a  great  deal  of  motion,  with 
little  or  no  emotion.     Emotion  is  a  moving-  out, 
not  of  the  limbs  merely,  but  of  thought  and 
feeling  from  the  heart.    Every  movement  that 
does  not  add  to  the  effect  will  f/ctmct  therefrom, 
whether  it  be  of  the  head,  hand  or  foot.    Thus, 
many  men  mistake  motion  for  emotion,  and  are 
thus  led  to  believe  that  perspiration  is  inspira- 
tion.    "  Simplicity  is  the  basis  of  all  excellence." 
Though  much  stress  has  been  laid   upon  the 
voice,  let  us  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  the 
positions  of  the  body  affect  the  tone  of  voice, 
and  that  you  will  also  find  them  harmonizing, 
thereby-  showing  very  clearly,  so  to  speak,  the 
attitude  of  the  mind . 

This  is  well  illustrated  bv  one  under  the  in- 


120  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

fluence  of  liquor;  the  body  becomes  limp,  the 
tongue  ceavses  to  act  with  neatness  and  pre- 
cision, thereby  destroying  the  best  articulate 
effect,  and  the  voice  takes  on  the  vital  tone  and 
harmonizes  with  the  body  in  its  lack  of  support. 
(An  illustration  is  here  given  by  the  speaker) 

One  may  readily  perceive  the  harmony  exist- 
ing between  the  physical  and  vocal  expressions. 
Another  example  in  which  you  all  may  have 
had  some  experience;  viz., endeavoring  to  speak 
pleasantly  while  you  are  looking  cross,  or  vice 
versa,  neither  of  which  it  is  possible  to  do. 

Another  very  prevalent  fault  among  readers 
and  public  speakers,  is  that  of  dropping  the 
tone.  (See  page  85).  We  deal  with  thoughts 
as  we  deal  with  tangible  objects. 

There  comes  to  mind  a  certain  pastor  in  a 
distant  city  who  never  gave  his  thoughts  to  his 
congregation,  but  kept  his  eye  steadily  fixed 
upon  a  favorite  place  in  the  ceiling,  and  there  he 
lodged  all  his  thoughts;  at  least,  such  was  the 
supposition,  for  they  were  never  heard  of 
afterward. 


TRTTI-:     AM)     I'KI.SK     IC  LOCUTION.  127 

Again  :  A  fault  in  which  nearly  every  reader 
must  admit  of  possessing  his  share,  viz.,  person- 
ating where  there  is  merely  narrative.  (See 
page  73). 

Let  us  now  "come  to  the  quick  and  the  heart 
of  the  matter"  bj'-  asking  ourselves  wh\'  we  do 
not  have  better  reading  and  a  better  apprecia- 
tion of  correct  reading.  Because  of  ignorance 
of  the  so-called  professors  of  their  art.  The 
public,  also,  are  in  a  great  measure  responsible. 
We  must  admit  there  are  teachers  of  elocution 
and  public  readers  in  many  of  our  cities  who 
have  but  a  mere  smattering  of  the  art  they  pro- 
fevSs  to  teach.  Charlatans  exist  in  ever}-  profes- 
sion. Anything  genuine  avIII  have  many 
counterfeits  and  the  counterleiters  will  receive 
patronage  and  meet  with  a  certain  degree  of 
success  so  long  as  the  public  remain  in  ignorance 
of  what  constitutes  the  true  elements  essential 
to  correct  reading  and  teaching;  therefore  public 
tnste  not  being  sufficiently  cultivated  accounts, 
in  a  great  measure,  for  the  scarcity  of  good 
readers,  or  more  properly,  perhaps,  Llie  preva- 


128  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

lence  of  bad  ones.  If  those  who  hear  such 
readers  and  teachers  would  learn  to  discriminate 
between  the  true  and  the  false,  the  standard  of 
the  one  would  be  raised,  and  the  other  seek  its 
level. 

The  true  reader  and  teacher  is  a  representa- 
tive in  a  profession  second  to  none  in  the  world ; 
a  profession,  which,  when  thoroughly  taught, 
includes  in  that  teaching  much  that  tends  to 
make  life  grander,  nobler,  and  to  fit  us  for  the 
higher  walks  of  life.  To  the  reader  is  given  an 
opportunity  of  wielding  an  influence  the  power 
of  which  is  often  greater  than  that  of  the  min- 
ister of  the  gospel.  One  is  able  in  a  public  read- 
ing to  reach  a  class  of  individuals  who  never 
come  within  the  pale  of  the  church,  and  it  is 
only  a  statement  of  facts  to  say  that  this  class 
embraces  many  grand,  noble  men  and  women. 
True,  practical  elocution  and  true,  practical 
religion  go  hand  in  hand  ;  for  all  public  reading 
should  be  elevating-  in  its  character;  should 
have  as  its  object  the  exalting  of  what  is  good 
and  the  supiDression  of  what  is  evil.     To  do  this 


TRrK    AM)    I"A[,SK    ELOCUTION.  129 

it  is  not  necessary  to  be  an  "Aunty  Doleful." 
The  masses,  we  nrc   aware,  call  for  comedy; 
then  let  us  present  a  good  class,  but  not  all 
comed}'.     Let  us  present  the  dark  and  the  bright 
side  of  the  i)icturc,  that  b\'  the  contrast  greater 
good  may  b/C  done.     How  many  a  sad  heart  has 
l)ccii   cb.ccrcd   by   the    presentation   of   a  good 
comedy,  and  how  many  a  youth,  rushing  head- 
long to  destruction,  has  been  checked  and  caused 
to  rellect,  l)y  the  portra^'-al  of  a  character  so  like 
his  own.     Wliat  sermons  lie  in  such  selections  as 
"The  Bridge  of  vSighs,"  "The  Actor's  Storv%" 
"  The  Vagabonds,"  "  One  Day  Solitary-,"  "  Beau- 
tiful Snow,"  "Why  a  Boot-black  sold  his  Kit," 
"Betsey  and   I   are  out,"  "How  Betse3'  and  I 
made  U]i,"  etc.     Let  us  ask  ourselves,  "  Did  God 
ever  make  a  heart  that  woiddnot  respond  if  the 
right  chord  were  touched?"     What  a  pleasant 
thought  to  know  that  it  lies  within  the  province 
of  a  reader,  many  times,  to  touch  a  chord  that 
has    long    been    mute.     Allow  us    to   cite    but 
two  of  many  instances  coming  directly  xmder 
the  notice  of  the  writer  of  this  article,  he  serving 


130  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

as  the  humble  instrument  thereof.  On  one 
occasion,  the  reading  of  the  last  two  named 
selections,  "  Betse^^  and  I  are  out"  and  "How 
Betsey  and  I  made  up,"  was  the  means  of  re- 
uniting a  familj^  that  had  been  separated  seven 
years.  At  another  time  the  recital  of  the  poem, 
"One  Day  Solitary-,"  touched  the  heart  of  many 
a  convict  who'sa\v  in  its  portrayal  but  a  reflex 
of  himself,  and  the  ultimate  good  may  never  be 
known  except  to  Him  who  reads  our  inmost 
thoughts. 

We  shall  never  forget  the  Iook  of  the  most 
hardened  criminal  within  those  prison  walls,  as 
he  sat  before  us  with  folded  arms  during  the 
impersonation  of  this  poem.  He  watched  us 
steadily  with  unflinching  ej^e,  from  beneath 
those  black,  massive,  shaggy  eyebrows,  while 
ever  and  anon  his  hand  ^vould  steal  nervously 
to  his  cheek.  For  what !  For  what  ?  To  brush 
away  a  tear.  Ay,  a  tear  that  he  would  not 
willingl}'-  have  shed  for  the  ^vorld,  for,  as  he 
glanced  hastily  at  his  comrade  on  either  side,  a 
bright  light  shot  quickh^  athwart  those  swarthy 


TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION.  I3l 

features,  when  he  recognized  the  same  act  in 
them. 

A}^  on  that  occasion,  one  ^vord  bedimmed 
many  an  eye  that  had  long  been  strange  to 
tears,  and  softened  many  a  heart  that  the  world 
would  call  cold  and  indifferent ;  that  one  word 
w^as  "  Mother;  "  and,  as  it  was  uttered,  many  a 
head  bent  low,  and  who  can  tell  the  many 
varied  scenes  of  life  that  passed  before  them  in 
quick  succession  in  panoramic  view  ?  What 
M^ord  in  the  T^nglish  language  associates  with  it 
so  much  of  tenderness,  gentleness,  forgiveness, 
as  "Mother." 

Then  what  are  we  to  glean  from  these  facts  ? 
That  while  we  entertain,  we  should  also  in- 
struct. The  reader  in  the  course  of  the  evening 
should  paint  for  an  audience  at  least  one  picture 
of  good  influence  in  suchamanner  that  it  would 
hang  on  memory's  walls  for  years,  perhaps 
forever.  The  reader  should  not  leave  an  im- 
pression of  himself,  but  of  the  characters  and 
various  scenes  which  lie  represents  to  you. 
When  you   leave   an  entertainment,  ask  your- 


132  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

selves,  as  a  test  of  its  merit,  in  addition  to  the 
enjoyment  of  the  passing  hour,  was  it  elevating 
in  its  cha,racter  ?  Do  j'ou  carry  away  with  3'ou 
anything  that  will  make  A^our  heart  lighter, 
your  path  brighter,  your  resolutions  of  char- 
acter more  firm  ?  Jf not,  it  has  not  been  \vholly 
a  success.  The  reader  should  be  encouraged  in 
this  class  of  reading  b^^  the  public  not  being 
satisfied  \vith  mere  sho\v.  We  especiall^^  refer 
to  costume  readings.  Thej-  are  verA^  good  of 
their  kind  and  in  their  way,  but  should  never 
be  recognized  on  the  reading  platform  proper. 
No  reader  who  is  an  artist  in  his  profession  will 
ever  have  occasion  to  resort  to  \vigs  or  costum- 
inof.  He  who  does  so  has  not  vet  reached  averv 
high  standard  as  a  reader,  though  he  ma3'  be 
excellent  in  his  specialty.  It  is  said  that ' '  charity 
covereth  a  multitude  of  sins;  "  ay,  so  do  hand- 
some wardrobes,  costumes  and  wig,  cover  a 
multitude  of  elocutionary  sins.  They  may 
please  the  eye,  but  they  fail  to  win  the  ear.  It 
were  better  if  readers  would  get  into  the  atmos- 
phere of  the  selections  and  think  less  of  getting 


TRIM-;    AND    FALSE    ELOCUTION.  133 

into  the  wardrobe.  No  two  persons  ever  see  a 
statue  or  painting  exactly  the  same,  but 
through  the  eye  as  it  has  been  educated.  The 
})crsoii  of  culture  and  refinement  looks  upon  a 
statue  and  sees  only  that  which  is  suggestive  of 
high  art,  while  the  person  of  low  order  and  de- 
graded tastes,  looking  through  flaming  eyes  of 
passion,  sees  naught  that  is  suggestive  of  purit^^ 
Though  the  statue  ma}^  be  the  same  in  both 
cases,  the  ej^es  being  diiferenth^  educated,  behold 
a  different  statue.  So  it  is  with  the  characters 
the  reader  portrays.  If  he  but  voice  the  words 
of  the  author,  the  audience  will  clothe  the  char- 
acters to  suit  their  individual  tastes,  but  if  he 
clothes  it,  he  compels  them  to  look  at  it  as  he 
presents  it ;  /.  c.,  according  to  his  conception,  no 
matter  how  inconsistent  it  may  be  with  theirs. 
Even  in  so-called  character  readings,  it  is  only 
the  business  of  the  reader  to  clothe  the  thought 
b^'  giving  it  the  proper  expression,  and  leave  the 
costuming  to  the  varied  tastes  and  imagina- 
tions of  the  audience. 

Costuming  belongs  to  the  stage  and  not  to 


134  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION'. 

the  platform,  except  where  one  makes  a  speciaitv 
of  impersonating  some  well  known  characters 
of  our  own  day.  Some  of  us  have  seen  and 
heard  a  reader  of  Shakespeare,  who  would  faith- 
fully and  satisfactorily  portray  to  an  audience 
the  tenderness  of  a  Juliet,  the  pathos  of  an 
Ophelia,  and  the  terrible  passion  of  a  Lear,  and 
all  this  without  change  of  costume  or  use  of  a 
wig.  Many  of  you,  undoubtedly,  have  had  the 
pleasure  of  listening  to  the  readings  of  the  late 
Charlotte  Cushman,  \vho  \vould  paint,  in  vivid 
colors,  the  entire  tragedy  of  Macbeth,  while  she 
would  remain  sitting  at  the  reading  desk — a 
fine  example  of  reserved  pow^er.  Are  you  aware 
that  more  and  better  talent  is  required  to  be- 
come a  good  versatile  reader  than  a  star  actor  ? 
While  an  actor  for  an  evening  portraj^s  but 
one  character,  and  that  with  the  assistance  of 
costuming,  scenic  effect,  and  other,  sometimes 
equally  attractive  actors,  the  reader  stands 
alone,  without  costuming,  without  scenic  effect, 
without  any  but  imaginary  characters  to  draw- 
out  his  power,  and  presents  to  an  audience,  by 


TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION.  135 

his  voice  and  action,  all  kinds  and  conditions  of 
character,  scenery  of  varied  description,  etc., 
and  all  this  so  effectually,  that  you  at  once  for- 
get the  reader  and  are  yourselves  living  amid 
those  scenes  and  walking  and  talking  with  those 
characters.  To  sum  it  all  up,  a  certain  French 
writer  has  so  well  expressed  it:  "The  actor  is 
only  the  soloist  in  the  orchestra,  the  reader 
is  the  whole  orchestra.''^  Many  of  you,  doubt- 
less, have  heard  readers,  whom,  by  their  elocu- 
tionary vociferations,  you  ^vould  pronounce  a 
whole  brass  band — not  much  of  a  compliment 
to  the  band,  either.  Whenever  you  hear  an 
actor  or  a  dramatic  critic  speak  disparagingly 
of  elocution  as  a  cjualification  essential  for  the 
stage,  you  may  rest  assured  he  is  either  preju- 
diced or  does  not  know  of  what  tnie  elocution 
consists.  Decliiinatory  and  mechnnicnl  readers^ 
like  declamatory  and  mechanical  actors,  are 
abominable.  A  true  reader  will  make  a  true 
actor.  Hear  what  a  New  York  dramatic  critic 
— who  is  not  predjudiced — has  to  say  upon  the 
subject.     Writing  of  a  certain  actor  and  actress, 


136  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

he  says,  "They  are  thoroughh^  trained,  they 
know  the  principles  of  their  art,  a  \erj  different 
thing  from  knowing  the  business;  the}^  paA^ 
laudable  attention  to  one  supremeh'  important 
point  recklessly  disregarded  upon  our  stage,  viz., 
■ — Elocution.^^  When  we  consider  the  deficiencies 
of  many  of  our  readers  and  actors;  i.  e.,  their 
limited  knowledge  of  their  profession,  sureh' it 
is  not  unjust  to  cite,  as  a  parallel  case,  that  of 
the  man  who  had  acknowledged  that  he  had 
never  been  to  school,  but  boasted  that  he  had 
met  the  children  on  the  way  to  and  from. 
"  Whatever  is  ^vorth  doing  at  all  is  worth  doing 
Avell."  When  a  man  chooses  his  profession,  or 
as  it  should  be,  when  a  profession  chooses  the 
man,  he  should  be  willing  to  give  his  life  ^vork 
to  it. 

One  thought  more,  and  that  briefl^^  stated. 
We  must  not  expect  general  good  reading  until 
we  have  more  knowledge  of  it  in  our  public 
schools.  Bad  habits  acquired  in  childhood  in 
the  performance  of  the  mereh^  mechanical  act  of 
sounding  printed  words,  without  the  ideas  that 


i 


TRin:    AND    FALSE    ELOCUTION.  137 

they  are  intended  to  convey,  are  the  foundation 
of  bad  readers  in  after  life;  the  words  going  in 
at  the  eve,  and  coming  out  at  the  mouth  with- 
out passing  thrc:)ugh  the  intelligent  inind. 

There  is  no  branch  of  education  more  needed 
and  yet  more  neglected  tlian  reading.  As  "edu- 
cation does  not  consist  in  the  possess/o/?,  merely, 
but  in  the  application  of  knowledge,"  and  that 
application  must  have  a  medium,  and  that  me- 
dium is  generally  the  voice,  then  hoAV  can  we 
place  too  much  stress  u]ion  the  teachings  of  true 
elocution  ? 

Let  us  accord,  then,  to  a  master  of  this  art 
the  highest  ]ilace  in  one  of  the  highest  profes- 
sions, because  of  his  worth  to  the  world  at 
large;  remembering  at  rdl  times  that  a  man  is 
not  estimated  "l)y  what  the  world  gives  to  him, 
but  by  what  he  gives  to  the  world  ; "  and  add 
to  this  the  fact  that  "our  highest  hapjiiness  is 
reflex ;  it  is  that  which  comes  back  to  us  from 
the  joy  we  have  given  others."  It  has  been  our 
endeavor  in  the  foregoing,  to  invite  thinking 
minds  to  look  at  the  subject  in  its  true  light; 


138  TRUE  AND  FALSE  ELOCUTION. 

and  our  conclusions  are  that  we  must  have  a 
higher  standard  of  reading  and  teaching,  and 
that  the  duty  of  securing  this  result  devolves 
upon  teacher,  reader  and  hearer. 


BIBLE  RIADINQ. 


"  So  they  read  in  the  hook  in  the  law  of  Ood  distinctly  and  nave  the 
itense  and  caxused  the  people  to  understand  the  reading."— Nehemiah  8-8. 


We  are  aware  that  we  are  stepping  on  sacred 
ground,  in  consequence  of  which  we  anticipate 
many  of  the  objections  that  will  be  raised,  but 
it  is  our  i)urpose  to  meet  them  fairly  and 
squareh'.  Our  object  is  a  wortln'  one,  hence  we 
apprehend  no  charge  of  irreverence,  feeling 
assured  that  whatever  means  ma3'  be  used,  will 
be  fully  justified  by  the  end  in  view. 

At  the  very  first  step  on  the  road  of  investi- 
gation we  are  met  by  the  question, — "Is  the 
Word  of  God  to  be  read  as  any  other  book?" 
Our  answer  is,  "yes  and  no." 

Yes;  it  requires  all  the  shades  of  feeling  to  be 
expressed  in  a  manner  consistent  with  the 
thought.     We  are  to  be  governed  by  the  same 


140  BIBLE    READING. 

law  of  emphasis  and  inflection,  as  in  the  reading 
of  other  books.  We  should  endeavor  to  make 
the  scenes  live  again. 

No ;  ^ve  should  not  invest  scripture  reading 
wnth  such  characterization  as  we  would  in  the 
portrayal  of  Shakespearean  personages ;  we 
should  suggest,  rather  than  imitate.  Give  the 
sentiment,  but  tone  it  down.  The  tones  maybe 
the  same  in  kind  but  should  be  less  in  degree. 

In  the  reading  of  the  Bible,  the  minister 
should  not  forget  that  he  is  a  reader — not  an 
actor. 

Gestures  are  not  called  for  in  Bible  reading. 
Even  in  the  most  impassioned  discourses,  the 
tones  of  voice  should  be  adequate  for  the  expres- 
sion of  all  emotions.  The  minister — in  reading 
the  Bible — stands  as  reporter  and  auditor,  and 
he  should  read  with  a  feeling  of  moral  force  and 
interpretation.  He  should  not  stand  aloof,  for 
he  is  a  man  of  like  passions  with  us.  In  sacred 
w^ritings  there  are  two  voices — the  Divine  and 
the  human. 

We  are  very  well  aware  that  there  is  a  strong 


BIBLE    RICADING.  1  1.1 

prejudice  existing  against  throwing  any  expres- 
sion in  I?i1ile  reading.  We  are  thoroughly 
convinced  of  this  by  the  indiflferent  man'icr  ' -» 
which  it  is  so  often  read  ;  only  partialh'  c>i< 
prejudice,  perhaps,  and  partially  to  lacl.  oi 
study.  AVe  would  like  to  impress  upon  minis- 
ters, the  fact  that  "The  goodness  of  a  man's 
cause  can  not  palliate  his  careless  neglect  of  its 
advocacy." 

i$abbath  after  Sabbath,  as  we  sit  in  our  pew, 
^ve  hear  words  of  admonition  from  the  minister, 
and  ever  linked  therewith  the  consolation  that 
"  It  is  never  too  late  to  begin."  Wc  now  have 
the  floor,  and  we  desire  to  talk  to  the  minister. 

To  the  young  man  wc  wish  to  offer  words  of 
comfort  and  encouragement,  as  he  is  about  to 
launch,  or  may  have  just  launched,  on  the  min- 
isterial sea.  We  also  desire  to  point  out  the 
dangerous  shoals  upon  which  his  1)rother's 
barque  has  so  often  been  stranded,  and  in  some 
cases  totally  wrecked. 

To  those  advanced  in  years  and  in  experience. 
We  desire  to  say  to  them  what  they  have  so 


142  BIBLE    READING. 

often  said  to  us,  "  It  is  never  too  late  to  begin.'' 
We  would  like  to  point  all  earnest  workers 
directh'  to  the  Bible  for  their  instruction  con- 
cerning the  reading  of  the  Bible. 

"  So  they  read  in  the  book,  in  the  law  of  God 
distinctU^  and  gave  the  sense,  and  caused  the 
people  to  understand  the  reading." 

The  foregoing  ^vords  may  be  found  in  Nehe- 
miah,  8tli  chapter  and  8th  verse.  They  einbod}' 
much  that  appertains  to  the  subject  of  such 
reading  as  is  required  at  the  sacred  desk.  Alark 
you,  that  at  the  ver^-  onset,  we  draw  a  line 
between  reading  and  reciting.  "  So  the\'  read  in 
the  book ;  "  they  did  not  recite  from  the  book. 

The  innnner  in  which  they  read  should  be  im- 
pressed upon  ever\^  man  who  takes  upon  himself 
the  responsible  office  of  reading  to  others  the 
Word  of  God.  How  man\'  of  our  ministers, 
to-da3%  read  either  the  Bible  or  the  hymns  dis- 
tinctly. Fewer  still  are  the^^  who  read  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  '^  cause  the  people  to  understand 
the  reading."     To  cause  them   to  understand, 


BinLK    READING.  I4.3 

implies  an  act  on  the  part  of  the  reader,  be^'ond 
that  of  distinct  utterance. 

The  words  are  vehicles  of  thought,  hence  they 
should  not  go  emptj^  to  the  hearer  but  be  well 
ladened.  A  word,  as  we  view  it  upon  the  printed 
page  is,  of  itself,  cold  and  meaningless.  Do  we 
realize  the  value  of  our  spoken  language  ?  What 
is  it  that  causes  one  speaker  to  be  more  inter- 
esting than  another?  You  ma}^  say  it  is  his 
manner.  What  is  that  manner?  Is  it  to  be 
found  in  the  v^^ords  which  he  utters,  or  in  the 
manner  of  uttering  them  ?  You  will  imhesitat- 
ingly  say  it  is  in  the  manner,  and  the  manner  is 
in  the  man,  not  in  the  matter. 

To  illustrate  this  we  will  cite  a  very  old  inci- 
dent, but  none  better  can  be  used  to  serve  our 
purpose.  When  the  Bishop  of  London  asked 
the  great  actor  Betterton — "Why  is  it  that 
night  after  night  you  sway  your  audiences  at 
will,  moving  them  to  laughter  (^r  to  tears,  while 
for  the  most  part  a'OU  are  dealing  with  fiction  ; 
and  yet,  those  same  persons  will  sit  so  utterl3'- 
rmmoved  when  listening  to  discourses  from  the 


144  BIBLE    READING. 

pulpit,  though  instead  of  fiction,  we  are  speak- 
ing the  mighty  truths  of  the  gospel  ? ' '  The 
great  tragedian  said,  "We  speak  fiction  as 
though  it  were  truth,  but  3'ou  speak  truth  as 
though  it  were  fiction." 

Let  us  look  again  at  the  word  upon  the 
printed  page.  Every  word  possesses  three 
forms  of  life.  It  has  its  e^^e-life,  its  ear-life,  and 
its  soul-life.  Its  ejx-life  is  its  orthography ;  its 
ear-life  is  its  orthoepy  ;  its  soul-life  is  its  signifi- 
cance or  expression.  How  many  public  speakers 
there  are  who  never  invest  their  language  with 
the  soul  inspiring  element. 

A  meeting  was  held  a  short  since  in  our 
resident  cit}^  to  raise  mone3^  for  "  The  Home  for 
the  Friendless."  Many  were  the  speeches  made 
by  learned  men,  who  thought  more  of  their  dic- 
tion than  of  the  great  needs  of  the  hour.  No 
special  enthusiasm  had  been  aroused,  no 
response  worthy  of  mention  had  resulted.  The 
evening  was  far  spent,  and  the  case  looked 
hopeless,  when  an  elderly  gentleman  arose  and 
spoke  but  three  \vords, — "Homeless,  friendless. 


BIBLK    READING. 


moneyless."  They  were  soiil-felt  words.  They 
thrilled  the  audience.  The  result  was  almost 
magical. 

Was  the  power  in  the  words,  or  in  the 
manner  of  expressing  them  ?  True  it  is,  they 
were  w^ell  chosen  words  and  proved  to  be  the 
most  active  agents  that  could  be,  or  at  least 
had  been  used.  Suppose  he  had  spoken  them 
unfeelingly — "Homeless,  friendless,  mone3dess." 
The  result  would  naturally  be,  "Is  that  so? 
That's  too  bad !  "  In  this  case  only  the  head, 
not  the  heart,  w^ould  respond. 

The  last  speaker  fully  realized  the  fact  that  to 
get  hold  of  the  purse-strings,  he  must  first  get 
hold  of  the  heart-strings.  Instead  of  words  as 
words,  it  was  thoughts  as  thoughts. 

How  much  thought  do  3-011  suppose  the 
minister  gave  to  his  scripture  lesson  when  he 
misplaced  the  emphasis  in  speaking  of  obeying 
the  conniKuul  to  "get  the  ass  and  saddle  him." 
He  said,  they  got  the  ass  and  saddled  him. 

On  another  occasion  he  showed  forth  a  pre- 
dominant characteristic    of  his    nature    when 


146  BIBLE    READING. 

reading  the  sentence,  "  They  sat  at  the  table  and 
did  eat."  His  nature  was  made  manifest  by 
saying,  "  They  sat  at  the  table  and  did  eat." 

It  seems  to  tis  that  even  greater  care  is 
needed  in  the  reading  of  the  Bible,  than  in  the 
reading  of  any  other  book. 

To  more  fully  impress  the  law  of  emphasis 
and  inflection  upon  the  reader  of  the  Bible,  ^\t 
will  cite  one  or  two  cases  outside  of  the  sacred 
writings. 

Even  in  the  treatment  of  this  subject,  we  have 
taken  the  liberty  to  intersperse  the  same  with 
anecdotes,  for  the  reason  that  "sometimes  an 
anecdote  will  make  plain  what  an  argument 
would  fail  to  satisf\^" 

Imagine  our  surprise  when  listening  to  the 
reading  of  Marco  Bozarris,  to  hear  the  words 
"  Come  in  consumptions  ghastly  form  "  read  in 
full  strong  tones,  as  follows:  "Come  in,  con- 
sumptions ghastly  form." 

On  another  occasion  an  actor,  essaying  the 
role  of  lago,  desiring  to  show  to  his  fellow- 
actors  and  to  the  audience  that  he  was  a  man 


I 


niBLE    READING.  147 

of  some  originality,  when  speaking  to  Othello  in 
reference  to  Cassio's  honesty  (which  he  very 
much  doubted)  and  which  should  have  been 
voiced  in  the  form  as  given  by  Shakespeare,  /.  c, 
"Honest,  my  lord?"  he,  to  the  surprise  and 
amusement  of  all,  turned  the  interrogatory  into 
an  exclamator\'  sentence  "  Honest !  my  Lord ! 

Sometime  since  we  had  the  pleasure  of  listen- 
ing to  a  noted  divine  in  Boston  with  whom  we 
were  deeply  impressed  by  his  reading  of  the 
Bible  and  of  the  hymns,  the  earnestness  of  his 
prayer,  and  the  able  discourse  so  ably  presented. 
During  the  discourse  he  said,  "I  often  attend 
the  theatre,  and  I  wish  to  emphasize  the  legiti- 
mate theatre ;  i.  e.,  where  I  can  witness  the  in- 
terpretation of  human  nature  as  depicted  in 
Shakespeare,  and  has  been  so  grandly  por- 
trayed bj'  such  men  as  Booth,  Barrett  and 
McCullough. 

When  I  return  to  mj'  home,  I  take  up  m3' 
Bible  and  exclaim,  O,  that  Ave  ministers  would 
spend  the  same  amount  of  time,  labor  and 
study,  on  this  grand,  old  book  of  books,  that 


148  BIBLE    READING. 

the  actor  does  upon  that  one  book — Shakes- 
peare. Not  only  that  we  may  the  better  under- 
stand it,  but  that  we  may  enable  others  to 
understand  it." 

These  words,  my  friends,  fell  from  the  lips  of 
a  grand  and  good  man. 

Too  much  stress  cannot  be  laid  upon  the 
careful  study  necessary  for  effective  reading  of 
the  Bible. 

Hepworth,  Chapin,  Beecher  and  others  might 
be  mentioned  as  examples  of  those  who  have 
given  special  stud}^  to  Bible  Reading,  Hymn 
Reading  and  Pulpit  Eloquence.  Hepworth  is 
said  to  be  a  biblical  reader  of  great  reputation ; 
that  his  reading  of  the  storj'  of  Daniel  in  the  lion's 
den,  is  one  "of  wonderful  vividness. 

Chapin  drew^  immense  audiences,  man3^  of 
whom  were  drawn  thither,  largely  by  his  own 
soul-inspiring  rendition  of  the  hymns.  There 
are  a  great  many  ministers  who  draw  very 
largely  by  their  rendition  of  the  hymns,  but  it  is 
a  drawing  something  akin  to  that  of  the  den- 
tist.    It  is  a  painful  operation  in  the  absence 


ninLIC    KEAUING.  14-9 

of  art.      It  liccomes  rending  vs.   rendering. 

Beecher's  voice  was  onee  very  defective,  but 
he  overcame  the  defect  by  proper  elocutionar}' 
drill  when  he  was  a  young  man.  He  often 
reverted  with  ardent  delight  to  his  old  asso- 
ciations and  his  shouting  in  the  woods. 

Let  young  men  emulate  the  example  set  by 
these  men  of  ])Ower  and  may  they  go  forth 
earnesth'  with  a  determination  to  give  diligent 
heed  to  those  requirements  essential  to  correct 
and  effective  reading. 

It  is  praise  worth}-  in  nny  young  man  to 
strive  honorably- in  anj'  honorable  profession,  for 
the  highest  place  in  that  profession.  What  actor 
is  content  in  remaining  in  a  mediocre  position? 
Then  what  minister  should  be?  The  grander 
the  mission,  the  greater  should  be  the  ambition. 
The  higher  one  attains  in  a  calling,  the  greater 
are  his  possibilities  of  doing  good.  The  more 
time  the  minister  devotes  to  the  study  of  the 
reading  of  the  Bible  the  more  will  he  find  of  its 
hidden  truths  and  beauties. 

Mrs.  Siddons,  of  the  eighteenth  century,  after 


150  BIBLE    READING. 

making  herself  famous  in  her  grand  conception 
and  portrayal  of  Lady  Macbeth,  said — "I  have 
not  yet  finished  the  study  of  the  part."  These 
words  were  spoken  at  the  expiration  of  thirty 
years  of  only  such  study  as  a  true  artist  will 
give. 

Joe.  Jefferson — whose  name  has  become  im- 
mortalized by  his  characterization  of  "Rip.  Van 
Winkle" — is  as  true  an  artist  as  treads  the 
boards  of  the  American  stage. 

Nothing  can  be  more  in  accordance  with 
nature,  than  the  manner  \vith  which  he  invests 
his  words  and  his  actions.  Yet,  he  emplo3's 
nature's  hand-maid,  art,  in  all  that  he  does,  and 
thus  illustrates  that  higher  art,  which  conceals 
art.  He  studied  faithfully  during  the  greater 
part  of  five  years  to  acquire  a  particular  inflec- 
tion, when  in  a  certain  portion  of  the  plaj',  he 
had  occasion  to  call  to  him,  his  little  daughter 
Mena. 

What  incentives  these  examples  should  be  to 
our  young  men  in  any  calling — a  worthy  calling 
— to  do  well  whatsoever  they  attempt.    We  cite 


BIBLE    READING.  151 

these  true  examples  of  the  pulpit  and  of  the 
stage,  beeause  the^'-  arc  true  examples.  They 
illustrate  an  art  second  to  none  in  the  world. 
Art  and  nature  should  so  commingle  that  the 
line  of  distinction  is  not  discernible. 

A  man  stepped  into  a  bank  in  Cincinnati  and 
presented  a  check  to  be  cashed.  He  was  a 
stranger,  hence  was  informed  that  he  must  be 
identified.  He  said  to  the  clerk,  "  Whj',  do  you 
not  know  me?  "  "  No,  sir,  of  course  I  know  of 
you  very  well,  but  l)y  what  means  am  I  to  rec- 
ognize 3'ou  as  Joe  Jefferson  ?  " 

He  looked  at  the  clerk  a  moment,  and  then  in 
an  instant,  began  to  let  his  thoughts  play  with 
and  among  those  noble  and  mobile  features, 
until  the  clerk  saw  Rip  Van  Winkle  appearing 
before  him.  Jefferson  looked  at  him  a  moment, 
and  then  slightly  turning  as  if  to  leave,  he  said 
"Don'd  know  me  I  don'd  know  me!  veil,  I  vill 
call  Schneider,  my  dog,  he  knows  me."  It  is 
needless  to  say,  the  check  was  cashed. 

Was  that  Joe  Jefferson  ?  W:is  it  the  man  ?  It 
was  the  man  and  manner  and  art. 


152  BIBLE    READIGN. 

When  a  simple  narrative  in  the  Bible  is  read, 
it  should  be  with  just  that  simplicitj^  illustrated 
by  this  great  man  in  his  great  character.  Sim- 
ple but  effective.  There  are  portions  of  the  Bible 
that  require  great  passion,  great  force,  intense 
sorrow,  and  overwhelming  J03',  to  be  expressed 
through  that  great  medium — the  human  voice. 

Read  each  part  in  a  manner  consistent  with 
the  part.  If  it  is  Paul  before  Agrippa,  make 
us  to  see  Paul  and  Agrippa,  or  what  is  better 
still,  make  us  to  feel  the  presence  of  these  men. 
Suggest  the  power  with  which  Paul  spoke  to 
that  King — i.  e.,  the  reserved  power.  If  it  is 
Christ  in  the  garden  of  Gethsemane,  or  upon  the 
cross,  suggest  the  anguish  commingled  with  the 
resignation.  It  can  only  be  suggested  ;  no  mor- 
tal can  do  more.  If  it  is  in  the  nature  of  a 
colloquy  as  that  carried  on  between  the  blind 
man  and  the  Jews  and  the  Pharisees  and  the 
parents  of  the  blind  man,  then  that  picture 
should  be  vividly  brought  before  us,  by  the 
reader  suggesting  the  various  ones  in  their 
respective    doubts    and    inquiries;    but   by   no 


BIBLE    RKADING.  I'.l 

means  should  lie  endeavor  to  imitate  them. 
That  woukl  be  dramatic  action  misapplied.  It 
is  such  elocution  that  has  barred  the  true 
teacher  of  the  art,  from  our  schools,  colleges  and 
seminaries. 

When  one  is  reading  jo^^ful  thoughts  from 
the  Bible  they  should  be  read  in  a  joyful  manner, 
in  a  tone  apjiropriate  to  the  thought.  If  you 
say  "Make  a  jo3'ful  noise  unto  the  Lord;"  do 
not  whine  it  as  much  as  to  say— you  make  a 
joyful  noise  if  you  can.  /ean't.  I  have  nothing 
to  be  joyful  for.  If  3'ou  read  "  The  Lord  is  my 
Shepherd  I  shall  not  want,"  make  it  appear  so 
by  the  manner  in  which  you  read  it,  instead  of 
causing  us  to  doubt  your  faith  by  3'our  doleful 
expression. 

True  it  is,  the  Bible  is  the  most  difficult  of  all 
books  to  read  aloud  ;  then  why  should  not  the 
minister  devote  much  time  to  the  study  thereof. 
Many  a  man  spends  his  entire  forces  upon  his 
sermon,  making  no  preparation  for  the  Bible- 
reading  or  for  the  hymn-reading.  The  reading 
of  the  Bible  and  of  the  hvmns  is  to  the  sermon 


154  BIBLE    READING. 

what  the  tilHng  of  the  soil  is  to  the  seed.  There 
is  no  \vonder  Avhy  the  seed  that  is  sown,  falls 
so  often  upon  barren  soil,  because  the  indiffer- 
ence manifested  by  the  preacher  in  his  reading  is 
felt  and  even  forced  upon  the  congregation. 
Ever}^  minister  impels,  compels  or  repels. 

We  find  a  special  dif&cult^^  in  the  reading  of 
the  Bible,  arising  from  its  division  into  verses, 
and  its  very  incorrect  and  imperfect  punctuation. 
You  will  find  it  necessar}'  to  over-look  the 
printed  signs  and  introduce  your  own  pauses 
according  to  the  requirement  of  the  composition. 
It  should  be  read  so  that  the  listener  ma3'  be 
unable  to  discover,  by  your  voice,  where  a  verse 
begins  or  ends,  unless  the  thought  being  voiced, 
is  complete.  The  sense  does  not  require  this 
breaking  up  into  verses,  but  on  the  contrary'  it 
is  purely  arbitrar^^  It  does  not  exist  in  the 
original,  but  was  adopted  in  the  translation, 
merely  for  the  convenience  of  reference,  and  for 
chanting. 

We  have  heard  men  make  as  bungling  mis- 
takes in  the  pulpit  Avhcn  reading  the  Bible,  as  did 


niBLE    READING.  155 

the  ])rc.si(lcnt  of  a  banquet  one  night  when  read- 
ing or  announcing  the  various  toasts. 

The  first  ^vas  —  "Let  the  toast  he,  clear 
Avoman."  But  the  gentleman  who  responded, 
said,  "Let  the  toast  be — dear  woman  !  " 

At  the  conclusion  of  this  response  the  presi- 
dent announced  another. 

"  Woman,  without  her  man,  is  a  brute.''  He 
re-read  it  with  greater  emphasis  **  Woman, 
without  her  man  is  a  brute.''  A  gentleman 
arose  and  said  that  he  did  not  view  woman  in 
that  light,  and  while  he  had  no  faidt  to  find 
with  the  words  used,  he  must  take  exceptions 
to  the  manner  in  which  they  were  read.  He  said 
he  did  not  think  "Woman  without  her  man,  is 
a  brute"  but  he  would  say,  "Woman!  withowt 
her,  man  is  a  brute."  You  will  perceive  that  the 
latter  reading  makes  man  the  brute  instead  of 
the  woman.  Well,  what  does  all  this  signify? 
Simply  a  matter  of  punctuation. 

Punctuation  serves  as  a  guide  to  the  author's 
idea,  but  should  not  always  be  regarded  in  the 
delivery    of   the    thought.     While    there    is    no 


156  BIBLE    READING. 

punctuation  in  the  Bible  from  beginning  to  end, 
2.  c,  in  the  original,  there  is  in  every  language 
an  idiom  peculiar  to  itself,  and  one  must  under- 
stand that  idiom  before  he  can  give  to  the^vords 
their  proper  significance. 

This  brings  us  to  a  very  important  step  con- 
cerning Bible  reading.  The  assertion  \ve  are 
about  to  make  may  find  many  opponents ;  if  so, 
we  trust  \ve  ma^^  at  least  be  credited  with  the 
expression  of  honest  convictions. 

Ever}^  educated  minister  is  expected  to  kno\v 
his  Greek  Testament  and  his  Hebrew  Bible. 
This  he  must  do  or  rely  Avholly  upon  comment- 
ators— before  he  can  intelligently  preach  to  in- 
telligent people. 

We  believe  that  none  other  than  an  edu- 
cated man  should  ever  take  upon  himself  the 
responsible  position  of  expounding  the  scriptures 
to  an  intelligent  congregation. 

Any  man  may  preach — after  a  fashion — but 
it  may  simply  be  an  essay  on  some  subject  found 
in  the  Bible  and  for  which  he  has  chosen  a  text. 
He  reads  the  text  as  his    foundation,  but  in 


BIBLE    READING. 


157 


manA'  casCvS  it  is  the  last  we  hear  of  it. 

Can  a  man  read  the  Bible  as  punctuated  and 
read  it  correctly  as  to  the  sense  ?  Impossible. 
There  are  thoughts  cut  in  twain  that  should  be 
linked  (See  Genesis  ir  chapter,  IG  verse)  and 
there  are  thoughts  linked  that  should  be 
separated. 

What  light  can  an  uneducated  minister  thro\v 
upon  the  following  sentence,  the  very  pinictua- 
tion  of  which  causes  two  renderings  thereof,  re- 
sulting in  a  separation  of  churches,  erecting  a 
barrier  l)et\veen  the  mother-church  and  those 
that  have  succeeded  her?  We  will  read  the 
passage  two  ways. 

"Verih',  veriK^  I  saN'  unto  you,  this  J^rthou 
shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise." 

"  Verih',  verily  T  say  unto  you  this  day,  thou 
shalt  be  with  me  in  Paradise." 

The  change  of  punctuation  in  the  foregoing, 
has  no  more  effect  upon  the  change  of  thought, 
than  in  the  two  renderings  of  the  following 
Shakespearean  quotation. 


158  BIBLE    READING. 

"There  is  a  Divinity  which  shapes  our  ends, 
rough-hew  them  as  we  will." 

There  is  a  Divinity  which  shapes  our  ends 
rough,  hew  them  as  we  will. 

One  needs  to  be  an  intelligent  expounder  of 
the  Bible,  because  some  people  read  it  literally. 
Think  of  the  old  lad}-  who  called  upon  her  pas- 
tor saying. — "  I  am  quite  svire  I  cannot  live  with 
John  any  longer.  I've  tried  every  way  I  could 
to  keep  peace." 

"M}^  dear  sister,  j^ou  must  not  give  up. 
Whatever  he  may  say  or  do,  you  should  not 
provoke  him,  but  you  should  'heap  coals  of  fire 
upon  his  head.'  " 

"Coals  of  fire  upon  his  head?  Oh  no!  you 
don't  know  him.  Why  that  will  never  do  one 
bit  of  good." 

"  Have  you  tried  it  my  sister?"  "No,  no.  I 
never  tried  coals  of  fire,  but  I've  tried  hot 
water. ^^ 

In  closing  the  subject  of  Bible  reading  we 
wish  especially  to  impress  the  fact  that  the 
greater  the  position  one  occupies,  the  more  will 


niBLE    READING.  159 

he  be  called  to  account  for  his  opportunities. 

Whatever  may  be  the  talents  given  to  men  in 
other  callings,  the  ministry  surely  possesses  its 
full  quota,  and  he  who  occupies  a  position  there- 
in, shall  be  held  accountable  for  the  use  or  the 
abuse  thereof,  and  among  these  the  one  of  Bible 
reading  is  of  no  little  moment. 


HyjviJN  RI/iDIJNQ. 


Hymn  Reading  seems  to  receive  much  less 
attention  than  Bible  reading  which  means  no 
attention  at  all.  Hymns  are  not  alwa^'s poetry, 
but  prose  in  rh3^thmical  form  with  ends  of  lines 
to  rhyme.  There  are  few  ministers  \vho  do  moi-e 
than  simply  g'lance  at  a  hymn,  and  the  manner 
in  which  they  are  generally  read,  would  lead  one 
to  suppose  that  they  are  not  even  favored  with 
the  glance.  There  is  only  one  reason  that  ^ve 
can  give  for  this  neglect,  j.  e.,  the  minister  sees 
no  sense  in  the  h3'mn  he  is  reading,  consequenth' 
sees  no  sense  in  reading  it  differentl3^  To  such  a 
one  we  would  say,  that  which  does  not  add  to  the 
effect,  will  surel}^  detract  therefrom,  and  for  this 
reason  we  claim,  that  unless  care  and  study  are 
given  to  the  reading  of  the  hj^mns,  it  were  much 

(160) 


HYMN    KKAUINC.  161 

better  not  to  read  thcni  at  all.  It  is  a  waste  of 
time.  If  about  so  much  time  must  be  utili;icd, 
let  it  be  done  in  that  which  is  much  more  agree- 
able and  profitable  to  the  congregation,  and  in 
that  which  will  bring  forth  more  of  the  spirit  of 
devotion  from  the  pastor. 

How  utterly  absurd  it  is  for  a  minister  to 
read  an  entire  hymn  of  five  stanzas — unless  he 
reads  it  with  the  spirit — and  at  the  conclusion 
thereof  say  to  the  congregation — "You  will 
please  omit,  in  singing,  the  3d,  4th  and  Gth 
stanzas."  'Twere  better  had  he  omitted,  in  read- 
ing, the  1st,  2(1,  8d,  4th  and  5th  stanzas.  In- 
deed it  were  far  better,  in  a  devotional  sense,  for 
his  good  and  for  that  of  his  congregation,  to 
simply  announce  the  hymn  and  let  the  choir  and 
the  congregation  utilize  the  time  in  singing.  The 
latter  will  have  a  restful  influence  while  the 
former  has  a  restless  iriflucnce. 

There  is  too  much  form  in  the  ])uli)it,  too 
much  shell  to  crack  before  getting  at  the  meat. 
The  congregation  becomes  weary  before  the 
minister  begins  his  sermon ;  hence  it  cannot  be 


162  HYMN    READING. 

expected  to  have  its  desired  effect.  The  prayer — 
possibh'  the  praj-ers — the  scripture  lesson  and 
the  singing  ma^^  all  be  essential  to  get  the  pas- 
tor and  people  in  sj^mpathy  with  each  other, 
and  in  sj^mpathy  ^vith  the  occasion.  They  are 
links  of  a  chain,  all  of  which  have  a  special  value, 
and  to  these  may  be  added  the  In^mn  reading  if 
it  is  well  done ;  if  not,  it  is  the  weak  link  and 
mars  the  effect  of  all,  no  matter  howstrongmay 
be  the  remainder  of  the  chain,  as  we  all  know 
that  "No  chain  is  stronger  than  its  weakest  link. ' ' 

Every  minister  should  carefully'  pave  his  way 
to  his  sermon,  but  he  should  not  expect,  if  he 
takes  his  people  over  cobble-stones  to  have  them 
in  condition  to  enjoy  or  be  benefited  by  the 
potion  he  has  so  carefully-,  earnestly  and  prayer- 
fully prepared  for  them. 

Hymns  should  be  wisely  chosen.  They  may 
contain  a  thought  that  will  serve  as  an  anchor 
to  some  storm-tossed  soul,  that  has  but  drifted 
into  what  will  prove  to  be  the  harbor  for  a  sin- 
sick  and  turbulent  spirit. 

Why  are  h3^nms  read  ?    The  origin  of  hj'mn 


HYMN    READING.  163 

reading  grew  out  ofn  necessity.  It  dates  back 
to  many  years  ago  when  hymn  books  were 
scarce,  choirs  unknown,  and  church  organs 
existed  only  in  the  fertile  imagination  of  some 
inventive  genius.  It  was  then  that  the.  pastor 
or  deacon  possessed  about  the  only  hymn  book 
in  the  church,  and  from  this  he  read  the  hymns 
— not  for  any  expression,  not  with  any  partic- 
ular expression,  but  with  and  for  a  purpose; 
viz.,  that  all  might  hear,  and  that  all  might  sing. 
He  gave  them  two  lines  at  a  time — 

"  All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name 
Let  angels  prostrate  fall." 

"Sing."  And  the}-  did  sing,  and  thoroughly 
enjoyed  the  singing  as  they  sang  with  the  spirit 
of  devotion.  The  jntrpose  for  which  the  hvmns 
were  read  was  accomplished,  but  to-day,  hymn 
reading  is  wholly  unnecessary,  fraught  with 
many  drawbacks,  and  should  l)e  wholh-  aban- 
doned unless  they  are  read  with  a  desire  to 
express  the  thought,  to  impress  the  thought, 
and  to  inspire  the  congregation.  In  any  case, 
studv  is  requisite  and  it  has  its  reward.     The 


1G4  HYMN    REAOIXC. 

minis  cer  chooses  the  hymn  to  suit  his  theme,  and 
he  should  make  of  it  what  it  is  capable  of— a 
vakiable  acquisition  in  the  preparation  of  his 
people  for  his  sermon. 

Hymns  are  divided  into  several  classes,  and 
vshould  be  read  according  to  the  individual 
class. 

When  the  minister  has  chosen  his  hymns,  his 
next  step  should  be  to  ascertain  to  which  class 
each  hymn  belongs;  i.  e.,  supplication,  medita- 
tion, exhortation,  narration.  A  hymn  may 
include  all  these  modes  of  expression. 

If  the  hymn  is  in  the  form  of  a  supplication, 

then  the  minister  should  supplicate;  /.  e.,  the 

words  should  not  bespoken  to  the  congregation 

but  for  the  congregation  and  for  himself.    As 

an  illustration  of  this  class,  w^e  have  the  hymn — 

"  My  faith  looks  up  to  Thee, 
Thou  Lamb  of  Calvary !  " 

An  example  of  the  meditative  style  may  be 
found  in  those  soulful  w^ords 

"  I'm  nearer  my  home  to-da3' 
Than  ever  I've  been  before." 


HYMN    KICAnrNO. 


In  the  reading  of  this  hymn,  the  minister  acts 
as  a  month-piece  for  the  entire  congregation. 
By  i)lacing  himself  into  a  meditative  mood,  he 
can  the  better  bring  his  people  into  the  same 
state  of  fccHng.  He  should,  by  his  reading,  im- 
press upon  all  his  hearers,  thiit  they  are  "  Nearer 
the  bound  of  life  where  they  lay  their  burdens 
down,"  that  all  are  "Nearer  leaving  the  cross, 
nearer  gaining  the  crown."  While  he  includes 
the  congregation,  he  should  take  care,  that  by 
his  reading  he  does  not  exclude  himself 

As  an  example  of  exhortation,   we  would 

refer  a'OU  to  the  joyful  coronation  in  which  all 

are  exhorted  to  participate. 

"  All  hail  the  power  of  Jesus'  name 
Let  angels  prostrate  fall." 

In  the  narrative  style  of  reading,  we  will 
furnish  two  examples  which  are  in  marked  con- 
trast with  each  other. 

What  darker  scene  can  l)e  depicted  to  a  con- 
gregation than  that  of  midnight  on  a  mountain  ? 
and  what  is  more  calcidated  to  touch  the 
sj'mpathctic  heart,  than  to  tell  of  the  anguish 


166  HYMN    READING. 

of  that  "man  of  sorrows"  Avho  was  pleading, 
ay  pleading  alone  ? 

There  are  gardens  of  Gethsemane  all  over  the 
world !  There  are  mountain  brows  that  be- 
come darker !  There  are  stars  that  becoine  dim  ! 
There  are  always  souls  that  are  pleading  that 
the  cup  may  pass  from  them,  but  like  Him  of 
old,  they,  too,  must  drink  of  its  bitterness,  even 
to  the  dregs.  Such  a  sorrow-ing  soul  ma}'  be 
found  in  nearly  every  congregation.  Then  with 
what  care  should  the  minister  read  the  hymn 

"  Tis  midnight!  and  on  Olive's  brow 
The  star  is  dimmed  that  lateh-  shone ; 
Tis  midnight !  In  the  garden  now 
The  suffering  Savior  pra3's  alone." 

Then  again,  the  minister  has  the  prixalege  of 
changing  the  dark  and  turbulent  waters  to  the 
song  of  joy,  as  heard  in  the  clear  ripple  of  the 
mountain  brook  when  he  tells  us  of  "  The  old ,  old 
story,"  for 

"  More  vi^onderful  it  seems 
Than  all  the  golden  fancies 
Of  all  our  "olden  dreams." 


IIVMX    READING.  1G7 

"  I  love  to  tell  the  story! 
It  did  so  much  for  me ! 
And  that  is  just  the  reason 
I  tell  it  now  to  thee." 
Suppose  wc    invest    the    reading    with    the 
result  of  only  ear-life  and  ej'^e-life!    By  omitting 

the  soul-lile,  as  in  the  case  of  nine  out  of  every 
ten  hymn-readers,  what  would  be  theeffectupon 
a  congregation  ?  We  should  like  to  voice  a  few 
lines  that  you  may  the  better  judge 

"  I  love  to  tell  the  story  ! 
It  did  so  much  for  me! 
And  that  is  just  the  reason 
I  tell  it  now  to  thee." 

Is  that  the  reason?  Does  the  soul  shine 
forth  through  its  windows  and  assure  us  that 
we  are  in  sympathy  with  the  thought  ?  No,  not 
when  reading  it  in  such  a  soul-less  manner. 

We  may  tolerate  carelessness  and  heartlcss- 
ness  of  expressions  in  society,  but  at  the  sacred 
desk  it  is  unpardonable. 

Among  other  faults  that  exist  in  hymn-read- 
ing is  what  elocutionists  term  "inflectional 
tunc,"  more  gcncrrdly  known   as  "sing-song." 


IQg  HYMN    READING. 

Such  reading  is  common  Avitli  children  for  it 
originates  with  the  nursery  rhymes.  The 
pecuHar  jingle  given  to  the  lines,  makes  it 
attractive  to  the  child,  and  is  an  aid  in  memor- 
izing. We  trace  the  same  song  through  school, 
even  in  giving  the  multi])lication  table. 

Whenever  3^ou  hear  that  sing-song  manner, 
whether  in  the  nursery,  in  the  school-room,  or 
in  the  pulpit,  you  will  he  perfecth^safe  in  accept- 
ing it  as  a  sure  indication  of  the  absence  of 
thought,  at  least  the  absence  of  all  expression 
of  thought,  which,  of  itself,  marks  the  absence 
of  impression. 

As  proof  of  this,  stop  the  boy  when  he  is 
singing  his  multiplication-table  of  2's,  and 
ask  him  to  tell  j^ou  the  result  of  two  times  six. 
You  will  observe  that  you  have  placed  an  ob- 
struction on  the  track  that  causes  him  to  halt, 
or  throws  him  completely  off.  Before  he  is  posi- 
tively assured  of  the  result  he  wanders  back  to 
the  beginning,  and  either  mentally  or  in  an 
undertone  he  repeats  his  song  till  he  reaches  the 
number  called  for.     The  thought  has  never  been 


HYMN    READING.  ITiO 

impressed,  he  has  simply  learned  the  words 
through  an  imitative  process. 

Again,  if  you  desire  to  number  a  class  of 
twenty  or  more  having  each,  in  turn,  call  his 
number,  3'ou  will  find,  in  the  majority  of  cases 
that  as  soon  as  they  enter  the  teens  they  will 
begin  to  sing-  the  numbers,  thus  : — 1-2-3,  etc. 

We  w^ill  carry  this  sing-song  through  another 
grade  on  its  way  to  the  adult  in  poetry -reading, 
and  to  the  minister  in  In-mn-reading. 

Pass  through  thehallsof  many  of  our  schools 
of  to-day,  and  listen  to  the  class  in  oral  spelling. 
You  will  scarcely  need  to  slacken  your  pace,  in 
fact  you  need  not  enter  the  building,  for  the 
untrained  voice  is  very  penetrating.  Listen ! 
The  teacher  gives  the  class  thunder — to  spell. 

I  "  ^ 

Thun  I  t  h  u  thun        d  c  Tliun 

der.     I  der.  dcr 

Bar bar 

ous. 

r  r 

b  a  b  a 

bar  bar         ous 

us 


Bar  bar 

us. 


Surely  it  is  bar-bar-ous. 


170  HYMN    READING. 

Why  even  the  teacher  strikes  the  same  notes 
every  time,  but  not  always  in  the  same  gentle 
(?)  way. 

Is  it  any  wonder  that  the  innate  sweetness 
of  many  of  our  lach^  teachers — but  we  wall  stop 
right  there,  and  remind  you  that  we  are  talking 
of  hymn-reading  or  hymn-singing. 

This  unnecessary  prolongation  and  sing-song 
of  w^hich  we  have  spoken  is  verj^  objectionable 
and  disagreeable  even  in  the  school-room,  and 
much  more  so  in  the  pulpit. 

Faults  are  largely  manufactured  in  the  pri- 
mary grades  of  our  public  schools.  What  may 
be  excusable  in  a  child,  is  not  always  permissible 
in  a  man. 

We  would  like  to  suggest  a  motto  for  the 
minister  to  have  framed  and  placed  in  his  study 
as  a  constant  reminder  of  his  need  to  stud^^  the 
hymns,  and  lay  by  the  faults  of  childhood.  We 
will  take  our  motto  from  the  scriptures  :  ' '  When 
I  was  a  child,  I  spake  as  a  child,  I  understood 
as  a  child,  I  thought  as  a  child ;  but  when  I 
became  a  man,  I  put  away  childish  things," 


HYMN    READING.  171 

Let  us  look  for  a  moment  and  see  to  what 
extent  this  ineffective  and  r/cfectiue  hymn  read- 
ing is  found  among  our  ministers;  /.  c,  this 
tendency  to  sing-song. 

"  There  is  a  fountain  filled  with  blood, 
Drawn  from  Immanuel's  veins, 
And  sinners  plunged  beneath  that  flood 
Lose  all  their  gTjilty  stains." 

Ta  ta  ta  ta,  ta  ta  ta 
Ta  ta  ta   ta,  ta   ta 

This  reading  finds  its  counterpart — though 
not  in  measure — in  the  familiar  nursery  rhyme. 
"Dickory,  dickorj-,  dock, 
The  mouse  ran  up  the  clock. 
The  clock  struck  one 
And  down  it  run 
Dickor}',  dickory,  dock." 
The  last  word  in  every  line  of  the   hymn  is 
generally  pushed  over  the  pulpit  to  the  floor 
with  such  force  that  it  is  quite  suggestive  of  a 
combative  element. 

You  will  obsers'e  that  there  is  no  thought 
expressed  when  reading  a  hymn  in  that  manner ; 
for,  unimportant  words   are  made  jirominent, 


172  HYMN    READING. 

and  important  words  lose  their  significance. 
The  word  veins  has  nothing  to  do  with  the 
thought,  and  is  necessary  only  for  the  rh^^ming. 
Then  again,  ho\v  often  such  reading  mater- 
itilly  chfingcs  the  sense  of  a  h3'mn  b}'  completely 
breaking  a  thought  in  twain.     To  illustrate, — 

"  Just  as  I  am  !  wiLlioiit  one  plea 

But  that  thy  l:)loofl  was  shed  for  ine 
And  that  thou  bidst  me  come  to  thee." 

By  reading  this  hymn  with  a  falling  inflection 
on  plea,  assures  us  that  he  has  no  plea,  not  even 
one. 

"Just  as  I  am  !     Without  one  plea." 

Whereas,  we  are  informed  in  the  lines  immed- 
iately follo^ving,  that  there  are  two  pleas. 

1st — "  But  that  thy  blood  was  shed  for  me, 
2d  — "And  that  thou  bidst  me  come  to  thee. 

Hence  the  falling  inflection  at  the  end  of  the 
first  line  completely  destroys  the  sense,  and  in 
fact  makes  a  statement  that  is  untrue.  The 
falling  inflection  comes  on  the  word  "am,"  as 
that  is  a  statement  of  itself,  the  conditionsheing 
an  a/ter  consideration. 


IIVMN     KICAUINO.  J  7.-] 

Closely  rillied  to  the  error  of  a  falling  inflec- 
tion at  the  end  of  each  line  is  the  very  prevalent 
fault  of  al\va3's  pausing  iit  the  end  of  a  line  in 
poetry. 

A  pause  should  he  made  only  when  the  sense 
demands  it,  and  onl}'  where  the  sense  demands 
it.  Tr3'ing  to  preserve  the  rhyme  by  the  pause 
is  done  at  the  expense  of  the  thought,  and  some- 
times of  the  truth. 

This  pausing  versus  sense  reminds  us  of  a 
young  man  who  was  called  upon  in  class,  to  rise 
and  read  a  stanza,  the  concluding  lines  of  which 
were  : — 

"And  wlu'ii  llic  wiinl  l)lc\v 
It  rocked  litr  ])uiiy  mansion. 

The  last  syllable  of  the  last  word  did  not 
ajjpear  upon  the  same  line  as  the  first  syllable, 
so  the  j'oung  man  stopped  where  the  line 
stopped. 

"Anil  when  tlio  wind  l)lc\v 
It  rocked  licr  pnny  man." 

After  taking  his  seat,  he  saw  the  rest  of  the 
word  and  thinking  the  remaining  sA'llable  to  be 


174  HYMN    READING. 

two  words  he  sprang  to  his  feet,  ssLjing,  sigh 
on  ;  thereby  makmg  as  much  of  the  Hne  as  possi- 
ble. He  expressed  as  much  thought  as  is  often 
given  in  hymn  reading. 

Before  leaving  this  branch  of  the  pulpit  work 
we  wish  to  point  out  one  more  error  in  hymn 
reading,  and  in  fact,  in  the  reading  of  all  poetry. 
It  is  slovenliness,  arising  from  laziness  and 
carelessness  ;  the  result  of  which  is  not  the  most 
desirable,  especially  in  sacred  or  solemn  writ- 
ings. We  will  cite  a  number  of  instances  that 
need  no  comments. 


->! 


"  Heaven  with  hosannas  ]  rings." 

not 

Heaven  with  hosanna's  rings. 


"What  it  utters  is  it's  only  stock  and  store." 

not 

What  it  utters  is  its  only  stockin  store. 


"  We'll  stand  the  storm,  it  won't  be  long 
We'll  anchor  by  and  by." 
n(Jt 
We'll  lank  her  by  and  by. 


HYMN    KKADINC.  J  <  ;* 

"One  sweetly  sulcniii  thought 
Comes  to  nie  o'er  and  o'er." 

not 
Come  stoo  mc  o'er  and  o'er. 


"  Let  nic  sec  then  what  there  at  is. 

lUlt 

Let  nic  see  then  what  the  rat  is. 


"His  father's  heart  was  awed  with  grief." 

not 
His  father's  heart  was  sawed  with  grief. 

We  trust  that  the  examples  just  cited  may 
impress  upon  the  minister  the  need  of  more  care 
and  stud}'  in  the  reading  of  his  h^'mns. 

It  is  more  essential  that  we  mind  the 
thought, than  that  wc  mind  the  printed  pauses. 
The  printed  ])auses  govern  the  thought  to  the 
interpreter  but  the  unseen  pauses  govern  the 
thotight  ironi  the  intcr])reter. 

"  Kuskin  gives  us  a  word  of  encourage- 
ment In'  sa3ing: — "If  I  could  have  a  son  or 
daughter  jjossessed  of  but  one  accomplishment 
in  life,  it  should  be  that  of  good  reading." 


I'jQ  HYMN    READING. 

During  the  latter  years  of  the  life  of  Ralph 
Waldo  Emerson,  it  was  our  pleasure  and  honor 
to  meet  him  many  times,  and  many  were  the 
cheering  words  that  fell  from  his  lips;  while  from 
his  pen  we  record  the  following,  from  \vhich  we 
gain  fresh  inspiration.  "A  good  reader  sum- 
mons the  mighty  dead  from  their  toinbs  and 
makes  them  speak  to  us." 

We  trust  that  the  few  hints  given  on  Bible 
reading  and  hymn  reading  may  prove  suffi- 
ciently suggestive  to  awaken  an  interest  and 
determination  that  will  prove  highly  beneficial 
to  pastor  and  people. 

We  will  next  invite  your  attention  to  a  few 
practical  thoughts  concerning  the  third  and 
most  important  part  of  the  minister's  public 
work.  Rible  reading  and  hymn  reading  are  but 
the  steps  to  Pulpit  Eloquence. 


PULPIT  ZLOgUZNGL 


Eloquence  is  just  as  essential  at  the  sacred 
desk,  as  it  is  at  the  bar  of  justice  or  upon  the 
rostriun.  We  do  not  tliink  it  is  too  much  to  sa^' 
that  eloquence  may  be  considered  the  biisines.H 
of  the  churcli,  though  it  is  too  often  considered 
only  an  accom])lishnient,  and  thus  becomes 
orators'  instead. 

The  very  business  of  the  minister  is  to  talk, 
and  to  talk  so  as  to  ]iersuadc ;  that,  is  what  we 
term  eloquence.  To  persuade  he  must  be  heard, 
and  to  be  licard  lie  must  talk  so  as  to  please  the 
ear  while  informinu^  the  mind ;  then  he  is  what 
we  term  an  orator.  lie  may  have  great  ])ower 
in  his  eloquence,  he  will  have  great  power,  Ijut 
he  will  have  <^Tc;itcr  power  if  he  uses  nature's 
hand-maid,  oratory,  (as   eloc[uence   is    nature). 

(177) 


178  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

'Twere  better  that  he  have  eloquence  without 
oratorj%  than  oratory  without  eloquence. 

The  pulpit  speaker  differs  from  all  others  in 
the  fact  that  he  is  not  open  to  answer,  therefore 
he  has  it  all  his  own  ^vay.  He  speaks  not 
merely  as  a  man  offering  his  ow^n  opinion  to 
others,  but  as  one  \vho  bears  a  message  from  a 
higher  authority.  Moreover  he  may  assume 
that  his  congregation  are  in  substantial  agree- 
ment with  him,  consequently  he  has  no  need  to 
prove  his  title.  He  is  l)efore  them  of  his  own 
right  and  they  acknowledge  him  to  be  their 
teacher.  More  than  that,  the  subjects  of  which 
the  preacher  treats,  are  of  the  mightiest  moment 
to  all  his  hearers ;  the  highest  and  the  humblest 
have  an  equal  interest  in  the  world  against 
w^hose  temptations  he  warns,  and  in  the  heaven 
to  whose  joys  he  invites. 

There  is  not  a  lumian  weakness  or  a  virtue, 
not  a  passion  or  a  sentiment,  that  does  not 
come  legitimately  within  the  sphere  of  his 
discourse.  Whatever  is  nearest  and  dearest  to 
us,  whatever  we  most  desire  or  most  dread,  all 


ITI.IMT    EI.OQUENCK.  17'.) 

that  is  known  ruul  .-ill  that  is  unknown,  tlie  busy 
present  and  the  rrj-cat  dark  future  arc  his  to 
wield  at  his  will — for  winning,  for  deterring,  for 
detracting,  for  terrifN'ing.  He  can  persuade  or 
excite  or  awe  his  hearers  at  his  pleasure.  He 
may  resort  to  all  \vonders  of  art  and  of  nature 
for  illustrations;  and  if  he  comprehends  the 
grandeur  of  his  iTiission,he  has  the  stimulous  of 
consciousness,  that  with  God's  blessing,  the 
Nvords  he  utters  will  save  souls. 

There  is  many  a  good  faithful  minister  who 
is  often  disheartened  l)ccause  he  does  not  meet 
an3''  response  to  his  most  earnest  and  heart-felt 
appeals.  He  feels  that  he  is  a  faithful  laborer  in 
the  Master's  vineyard ;  hence  is  the  more  sur- 
prised that  his  efforts  are  so  fruitless.  Such  a 
one  belongs  to  a  large  class  of  ministers  wlio 
forget  that  llicy  must  lay  liold  of  every  means 
of  improvement  and  helpfulness  that  comes 
within  reach. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  ministv.'r  to  Adly  jjre- 
pare  himself  not  only  in  divining  the  thought, 
but  to  seek  the  best  mode  of  giving  it  utterance. 


180  i'ULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

Not  only  pauses,  emphasis,  and  inflections 
need  much  care,  but  voice  and  bod3^  should  be 
under  perfect  control.  The  voice  too  often 
proves  a  barrier  in  the  way  of  a  speaker's  access 
to  the  minds  and  hearts  of  his  audience. 

The  voice  is  a  God-given  gift.  It  is  a  power 
in  the  pulpit,  a  great  power  for  good  and  one 
which  we  see  exercised  outside  the  pulpit  \vith 
great  effect.  It  is  a  power  which  God  has  given 
to  be  used  to  His  glory,  and  the  minister  can  no 
more  neglect  its  use  and  cultivation  than  he  can 
properly  neglect  any  other  gift  from  His  hand. 

The  human  voice  has  been  made  to  reach  the 
heart  by  its  melodies,  and  to  stir  it  up  by  its 
thrilling  vibrations.  It  is  the  very  trumpet  of 
the  truth,  and  by  its  certain  sounds,  we  arm 
ourselves  for  the  battle. 

We  might  as  well  say  that  we  despise  the  ear 
for  its  office  of  carrying  the  sound,  as  to  under- 
value the  manner  in  which  those  sounds  are 
made. 

We  are  well  aware  that  there  is  much  preju- 
dice to  contend  with  when  we  speak  of  eloquence 


pri.riT  n.oocKNCK.  181 

in  the  ])ulpit.  Let  us  look  again  at  that  word 
eloquenee  and  see  what  it  imphcs. 

Eloquence  is  the  act  of  placing  opinions  be- 
fore men  in  tlie  manner  most  conducive  to 
persuasion  and  conviction.  We  do  not  mean  to 
imply  b}'  this  that  these  opinions  arc  placed 
before  men  only,  nor  do  we  imply  that  women 
are  out  of  the  realm  and  hopelessly  be\'^ond  per- 
suasion and  conviction. 

Worcester  defines  eloquence  as  "  The  art  of 
clothing  thoughts  in  such  language,  and  of 
uttering  them  in  such  a  manner,  as  is  adapted 
to  produce  conviction  and  persuasion." 

Webster  tells  us  that  "  Eloquence  is  the  ex- 
pression or  utterance  of  strong  emotion,  in  a 
manner  adapted  to  excite  correspondent  emo- 
tions in  others." 

Worcester  includes  oratory  and  elocution  in 
his  definition,  while  Webster  holds  stricth'  to 
eloc[uence. 

You  can  teach  oratory  and  elocution  but  you 
cannot  teach  elo(iuence.  Those  who  are  gifted 
with  eloquence  should  not  neglect  getting  all 


182  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

helpful  aid  from  the  art  of  oratory.  It  may 
perhaps  be  objected  here,  that  sacred  truth 
needs  no  art  to  enforce  it,  no  ornament  to  set  it 
off,  that  the  apostles  were  artless  and  illiterate 
men  ;  and  yet  tlie^-  gained  the  great  end  of  their 
mission — the  conviction  of  multitudes,  and  the 
establishment  of  their  religion ;  that  therefore 
there  is  no  necessity  for  this  attention  to 
deliver3^  in  order  to  qualify  the  preacher  for  his 
sacred  office,  or  to  render  his  labors  successful. 
To  this,  we  a,ns\ver,  the  apostles  were  not  all 
artless  and  illiterate.  St.  Paul,  the  greatest  and 
most  general  propagator  of  Christianity  is  an 
eminent  exception.  He  could  be  no  mean  orator 
who  confounded  the  Jews  at  Damascus  (Acts, 
9-22) ;  made  a  prince,  before  whom  he  stood  to 
be  judged,  confess  that  he  had  almost  persuaded 
him  to  be  a  convert  to  a  religion  everyAvhere 
spoken  against  (Acts,  26-28  and  28-22) ;  threw 
another  into  a  fit  of  trembling  as  he  sat  upon 
his  judgment  seat  (Acts,  24-25)  :  made  a  defense 
before  the  learned  court  of  areopagus,  which 
gained  for  him  a  convert  of  a  member  of  the 


PULPIT    ELOQUEN'CE.  1S3 

court  itscir(Acts,17-34-)  ;  struck  a  whole  people 
with  such  admiration  that  the}'  took  him  for 
the  god  of  clo(iucnce  (Acts,  14-12) ;  and  gained 
him  a  place  in  Longinus'  list  of  famous  orators." 
A  great  manv  ministers  are  honest  in  their 
belief  that  whom  the  Lord  callethHe  also(jiudi- 
fieth.  Either  they  are  mistaken  in  the  origin  of 
the  call,  or  they  are  qualilied  only  in  proportion 
to  their  capacity  to  receive.  Such  ministers 
quote  Paul  as  being  the  ver}'-  personification  of 
all  defects  of  vocal  utterance  and  ph\^sical  pre- 
sentation. True,  he  had  defects  and  great  ones, 
and  he  had  art  enough  and  eloquence  enough  to 
almost  cover  or  obscure  them.  What  greater 
proof  do  we  want  of  this  assertion  than  that 
contained  in  the  London  Spectator,  No.  633. 
"It  was  with  no  small  pleasure  I  lately  met  with 
a  fragment  of  Longinus,  which  is  jircscrvcd  as 
a  testimony  of  thiit  author's  judgment,  at  the 
beginning  of  a  manuscript  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment in  the  Vatican  Librar3^  After  that  author 
has  numbered  up  the  most  celebrated  orators 
among  the  (h*ecians,   he  says :   '  add  to   these 


184.  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

Paul  of  Tarsus,  the  patron  of  an  opinion  not 
3'et  {ully  proved.'  ' 

But  a  great  many  of  our  worthj^  divines 
claim  that  what  we  call  eloquence  is  not  elo- 
quence, nor  oratory,  but  the  Hol3^  Ghost.  And 
they  father  claim  that  if  a  man  has  the  Holy 
Ghost  he  is  all  powerful  and  needs  no  outside 
agencies  or  aids.  If  the  Holy  Ghost  were  all 
sufficient,  and  every  true  minister  possessed  it, 
as  every  true  minister  should,  inasmuch  as  God 
is  no  respecter  of  persons,  then  the  whole  world 
would  or  could  be  converted  in  an  incredibly 
short  time.  There  are  men  who  delude  them- 
selves w^ith  this  idea,  but  whose  lives  are  so  in- 
consistent and  who  so  defile  the  temple  that 
God  has  given  them  for  the  indwelling  of  the 
soul,  that  they  have  no  right  to  expect  greater 
results,  and  they  must  surely  know  that  the 
Holy  Ghost  has  no  affinity  for  unclean  habita- 
tions. There  are  many  others  who  claim  to  have 
this  power  ever  with  them,  yet  will  in  no  way 
endeavor  to  improve  their  manner  of  delivery. 

Every  minister  is  an  instrument  in  the  hands 


ITLIMT     KLOQUENCE.  185 

of  the  Supreme  being  and  it  is  his  l^ounden  dutv 
to  keep  himself  in  the  liest  working  order.  If, 
as  an  instrument,  he  becomes  dull  or  gets  rusty, 
he  becomes  comparatively  useless,  and  he  alone 
is  responsible. 

'Tis  true  "The  clergy  bear  the  messages  of 
God  in  earthen  vessels,  but  that  is  no  reason 
why  they  should  display  their  mereearthiness." 

Let  it  ever  be  borne  in  mind  that  truth,  even 
truth  when  repulsively  arrayed,  repels  rather 
than  attracts  the  himgry  soul. 

There  are  many  orators  in  the  pulpit  who 
are  not  eloquent.  Their  orator\^  gets  away 
with  them,  but  it  does  not  get  away  with  any 
one  else,  especially  with  the  sinners. 

You  may  begin  to  think  that  ministers  are 
a  very  peculiar  class  of  people.  No  ;  no  more  so 
than  the  people  to  whom  they  preach.  There 
are  congregations  that  will  not  be  satisfied  un- 
less their  pastor  is  on  the  juni])  every  moment 
and  pounds  the  dust  out  of  the  jnilpit  cushion 
every  Sunday.  Talk  to  those  ])e()i)lc  of  art,  of 
reserved  power?     They  would  appreciate  art  in 


186  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

its  quiet  but  forcible  manner,  about  as  much  as 
did  the  man  from  the  rural  districts,  \vlio,  when 
in  the  city  "was  seized  with  the  toothache.  He 
called  upon  a  dentist  to  have  his  tooth  ex- 
tracted. This  was  done  quickly  and  artistically^ 
to  the  great  astonishment  of  the  patient.  He 
was  still  more  astonished  when  informed  that 
the  charges  for  this  skilful  work  was  50  cents. 
"  What !  50  cents  ?  Why  the  tooth  was  out  be- 
fore I  knew  it.  There's  a  man  out  our  way  who 
drags  you  all  arotmd  the  room  for  half  an  hour 
before  he'll  let  go  and  he  only  charges  a 
quarter." 

Every  minister  should  conform  to  his  sur- 
roundings. If  he  is  preaching  to  intelligent  and 
highly  educated  audiences  his  manner  and  mat- 
ter should  be  of  the  highest  order.  Should  he 
be  called  to  go  among  a  class  of  men  who  belong 
to  the  lower  stations  in  life,  he  should  descend 
to  that  station  in  such  a  manner  as  not  to 
lower  himself  but  to  elevate  them.  His  terms 
of  expression  must  be  more  simple,  his  vehicles 
of  thought  less  polished,  but  he  need  not  couch 


PULPIT    ELOQUENCE.  187 

his  language  in  uncouth  terms,  hut  he  must  ex- 
press himseir  in  a  manner  that  will  appeal  more 
to  the  heart  than  to  the  head,  more  to  the 
emotions  than  to  the  imdcrstanding.  As  an 
engine  backs  down  to  a  train,  so  must  the  min- 
ister go  down  to  such  a  peoole,  then  like  the 
engine,  he  should  be  able  to  move  as  he  wills. 

Many  ministers  miss  the  mark  and  shoot 
right  over  the  heads  of  the  people. 

This  misapplication  is  well  illustrated  b\^  an 
incident  in  the  life  of  the  late  John  B.  Gough.  He 
used  to  allude  to  it  as  misdirected  eloquence. 

He  addressed  a  large  comiKiny  of  miners  in 
Pennsylvania,  on  the  subject  of  temperance,  but 
secured  very  few  signers  to  the  pledge.  When 
Mr.  Gough  had  concluded  his  speech,  the  over- 
seer of  the  mines  asked  him  if  he  would  be  will- 
ing to  listen  to  one  of  the  miners — a  convert  to 
temperance — speak  a  few  words  to  the  bo^'s. 
Mr.  Gough  replied  in  the  affirmative,  though 
the  over-seer  assured  him  that  the  language  of 
the  speaker  might  be  somewhat  rough  and  mi- 
cultured.     The  miner  arose,  came  forward  took 


188  PULPIT    ELOOUENCE. 

his  place  on  the  stand,  and  looking  at  his 
swarthy  comrades  as  if  he  were  nroud  of  them, 
said  : —  * 

His  speech  was  the  speech  of  true,  native 
eloquence,  imembellished  Ijj'  oratory.  Mr. 
Gough  has  often  remarked  that  one  such  speech 
as  that  given  by  the  miner,  was  worth  fift}- such 
as  be  had  just  given;  /.  e.,  for  such  an  occasion. 

The  miner  appealed  to  the  heart  and  his 
words  found  lodgment.  Mr.  Gough  appealed 
to  the  head  and  the  words  rebounded. 

Mr.  Gough's  mode  of  intellectual  travel 
was  far  too  polished  and  too  fast  for  them. 
He  passed  them  almost  without  a  passenger 
with  his  express  train  and  parlor  car ;  but  the 
miner  was  \vell  patronized  wnth  the  old  freight 
train  and  caboose.  That  miner  was  good  in  his 
place,  but  he  could  not  have  filled  the  place 
of  John  B.  Gough. 

There  is  a  class  of  ministers  who  are  akin  to 

*  This  being  given  wholly  from  nienior3'  and  never  having 
been  written  by  Mr.  Gough  or  myself,  the  vi'ords  need  not  neees- 
sarilj'  be  given  in  the  body  of  this  treatise.  Thej'  must  be  hea,rd, 
not  read,  to  be  appreciated. 


PULPIT    ICLOOUENCE.  189 

a  class  of  elocutionists.  They  spring  up  mush- 
room-like and  in  their  sudden  development  they 
flash,  meteor-like  before  the  people.  They  are 
good  of  their  kind  and  among  their  kind,  but 
their  rough  and  uncouth  manners  and  general 
illiteracy  are  more  or  less  repulsive  to  an  edu- 
cated and  refined  audience. 

A  powerful  sermon  was  once  preached  on 
justifiable  anger,  using  as  a  text:  "  I  am  fear- 
fully and  wonderfulh'  made;  "  reading  the  Wv)r(l 
made,  as  if  it  were  innd.  The  minister  argued 
that  it  was  right  to  get  mad,  because  the  Bible 
says; — "I  am  fearfully  and  wonderfully  mad." 

Another  minister  preached  on  "skin-worms" 
from  the  passage  of  Job  ;"  after  my  skin,  worms 
shall  destroy  my  flesh."  He  asserted  that  Job 
had  "skin-worms"  because  he  spoke  of  the 
skin-worms  destroying  his  flesh. 

Another  preached  very  fervently  on  the  sin  of 
pla^'ing  marbles,  because  tlie  Savior  said : 
"Marvel  not  my  l)reaLhern" — he,  reading  it 
*'  mnrblc  not." 

Still    another    made     an     attack    upon    llie 


190  PULPIT    ELOCjUEXCE. 

Knight  Templars  endeavoring  to  prove  that  no 
Knight  could  enter  Heaven  for  the  Bible  was 
very  clear  on  that  point,  saying  that  "There 
shall  be  no  night  there." 

We  know  of  a  minister  in  Iowa,  but  a  very 
short  time  since,  who  claimed  that  he  could  fulh' 
demonstrate  that  there  was  such  a  thing  as  less 
than  nothing.  Turning  to  the  black-board — he 
was  preaching  in  a  school-house — he  drew  a 
cipher  thereon ;  and,  looking  at  his  audience  he 
exclaimed  ^^ there,  is  nothing;"  then  with  a 
wonderful  degree  of  intelligence  (?)  he  proved 
his  assertion  hj  placing  a  sm.aller  cipher  inside 
of  the  larger  one,  and  with  a  triumphant  air 
exclaimed,  ^^  there,  is  less  than  nothing."  The 
congregation  looked  at  the  ciphers  on  tht  black- 
board, then  at  the  cipher  on  the  platform,  and 
they  admitted  that  the  undeniable  living  evi- 
dence stood  before  them,  jjroving  conclusively 
that  there  is  something  less  than  nothing. 

We  believe    that    every    man    may  exert  a 

power  over  certain  of  his  felloAvs,  but  a  man  to 
be  a  leader  must,  of  necessity,  be  in  advance  of 


m.PIT    ELOQUENCE.  101 

those  whom  he  would  lead ;  hence  we  assert 
that  it  is  preposterous  for  men  of  no  education 
or  refinement,  to  stand  before  cultured  and 
intelligent  audiences,  and  endeavor  to  enlighten 
them  on  the  mighty  truths  of  the  gospel.  Thc}-^ 
may  be  good,  earnest,  whole-souled  men,  who 
are  thoroughly  iminied  with  the  spirit  of  their 
Avork,  and  ma^'-  be  doing  well  with  the  knowl- 
edge they  have,  but  they  must  bear  in  mind  that 
the  stream  cannot  rise  above  its  sourcfe.  It  was 
this  class  of  ministers  we  had  in  view  when  we 
said,  under  the  subject  of  Bi1)le  reading,  that 
every  minister  should  know  his  Greek  Testament 
and  his  Hebrew  Bible.  It  is  only  an  enlightened 
man  who  can  enlighten. 

These  men  who  so  suddenly  ai)i)ear  before 
the  thinking  world,  will  as  suddenly  r//.sappear 
if  they  are  of  sudden  growth.  That  which 
matures  cpiickly,  decay's  readily.  It  takes  an 
oak  a  hundred  years,  perhaps,  to  get  its  growth, 
but  a  cabbage  requires  but  three  months, 
perhaps  less.  There  is  not  anything  on  the  face 
of  the  earth  that  is  of  any  worth,  any  impor- 


192  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

tance,  any  value,  that  is  not  long  in  coming  to 
niattirit3\  He  who  appears  to  accomplish  it  in 
some  sudden  inspiration — if  it  be  lasting — Is 
only  bringing  to  the  notice  of  the  world,  some 
force,  some  thought,  some  power  that  has  been 
hidden,  preparing  itself  underground,  or  beneath 
appearance,  perhaps,  for  man 3-  years.  The 
centurv^-plant  will  bloom  in  a  few  days,  but  it 
takes  a  centur\^  for  it  to  get  readj^  to  bloom." 

We  believe  that  the  minister  of  to-day,  should 
have  a  thorough  training  in  a  theological 
seminary.  We  have  heard  the  most  absurd 
statements  made  from  the  pulpit,  in  consequence 
of  a  lack  of  biblical  knowledge,  and  too  often 
those  statements  have  proved  a  stumbling  block 
in  the  way  of  a  seeker  after  truth. 

The  theological  course  will  not  make  a  min- 
ister, any  more  than  the  college  will  make  a 
scholar. 

We  think  the  theological  seminaries  are  often 
at  fault  in  receiving  men  whom  they  know  can 
never  be  successful  in  the  ministr3%  but  \vill,  in- 
stead, clog  the  wheels  of  Christain  progress, 


PULPIT    ELOQUENCE.  193 

and  be  an  elephant  on  the  hands  of  the  unfortu- 
nate Christian  community  u])on  whom  they 
must  be  saddled. 

Those  men  whose  office  it  is  to  accept  or 
refuse,  should  be  as  honest  and  conscientious, 
as  was  the  chairman  of  a  Scotch  presb^'ter}' 
before  whom  a  3'oung  man  appeared  as  a  candi- 
date for  the  ministr3\  The  3'oung  man  had 
worked  for  3^ears  at  broom-making  and  had 
achieved  a  reputation  therein.  His  case  was 
carefully  considered  by  the  presbyterj',  and  the 
chairman  in  due  time  waited  upon  the  3'oung 
man,  saying,  "My  brother,  the  Lord  calls  some 
men  to  the  ministry,  some  to  the  farm,  some  to 
one  place,  some  to  another,  according  to  their 
ability-.  \Vc  have  concluded  that  the  Lord  has 
given  you  a  special  call — for  broom-making. 
Maj''  His  blessing  rest  upon  you." 

When  we  are  called  n])c)n  to  pass  our 
judgment  upon  applicants  for  the  rostrum,  or 
for  the  stage,  we  think  we  are  able  to  judge  as 
to  the  abili*-y  of  the  applicant.  Were  we  not 
conscientious  in  the  matter  we  might  fill  our 


lyi  PULPIT   ELOQUENCE. 

coffers  with  that,  the  love  of  which  is  '  'the  root 
of  all  evil,"  but  we  could  never  uproot  the  evil 
we  had  done. 

It  may  be,  however,  that  our  presbyters  are, 
actuated  by  the  same  motives  as  those  of  the 
old  lady  who  made  it  a  rule  never  to  turn  away 
a  beggar  as  unworthy  fearing  she  might  wrong 
one  who  was  worthy. 

There  is  many  a  man  fitted  for  the  pulpit, 
who  never  Jits  the  pulpit.  There  is  many  a  man 
fitted  for  the  pulpit  who  is  better  fitted  for  the 
plougJi.  There  is  many  a  man  at  the  plough 
who  might  be  a  pozver  in  the  pulpit. 

Parents  too  frequently  o'er  step  their  rights, 
or  at  least  make  serious  mistakes  in  forcing  a 
child  into  a  profession  or  trade,  for  which  he 
has  no  liking,  no  ability.  You  are  probably 
familiar  with  the  illustration  so  often  cited  in 
support  of  this  argument: — A  young  man  was 
a  born  machinist  and  he  might  have  become  as 
famous  as  Edison,  had  he  been  allowed  to  follow 
the  bent  of  his  genius.  Hungry  for  anything  in 
the  shape  of  a  machine  upon  which  he  might  be 


I 


«  PULPIT    ELOQUENCK.  19J! 

allowed  to  look.  But  his  father,  1)y  a  strong 
hand,  put  him  through  a  theological  seminary 
and  made  a  stupid  minister  of  him." 

There  is  a  great  responsibility  resting  upon 
those  who  are  called  upon  to  pass  judgment. 
'Twas  hut  a  few  weeks  ago  that  a  friend  of 
ours,  a  D.  D. said  to  us,  "  The  worst  thing  lever 
did  in  my  life  was  to  encourage  or  rather  per- 
suade the  Rev. to  enter  the  ministry."     We 

knew  the  reverend  gentleman  of  whom  he 
spoke,  and  wc  knew  him  as  a  noted  author,  a 
brilliant  thinker,  a  polished  orator,  a  minister 
who  drew,  by  his  many  (pialities,  thousands  of 
people  every  Sabbath ;  and  they  were  as  intel- 
lectual a  peo])le  as  ever  assembled  under  one 
roof.  He  always  gave  them  a  treat,  but  it  Was 
wholU'  an  intellectual  treat.  lie  was,  as  we 
have  said,  an  orator,  but  he  was  not  eloquent. 
He  brought  his  goods  from  the  mental  store- 
house, for  his  soul  was  dark  and  the  cobwebs 
of  lust  and  deceit  had  gathered  around  it.  He 
was  a  man  of  great  possibilities.  We  predicted 
his  downfall,  and  he  did  fall;  ay,  "Fell  like  the 


196  PUI.PIT    ELOQUENCE. 

snowflakes  from  Heaven  to  Hell."  Hehasdone 
much  by  his  voice  and  his  pen,  and  yet  would 
any  one  venture  to  say  that  he  was  at  anytime 
acted  upon  by  the  Holy  Ghost  ? 

We  take  the  same  view  of  the  ministry  as  we 
do  of  our  bodies,  /.  e.,  God  permits  many  a  mar 
to  be  ill,  but  he  does  not  necessarily  will  it. 
God  permits  many  a  man  to  occupy  a  pulpit, 
but  he  does  not  necessarily  will  it.  When  you 
are  ill  you  must  lay  hold  of  those  means  that 
will  restore  you.  A  minister  may  be  ill  or  lame 
in  his  professional  office,  and  it  is  his  duty  to 
lay  hold  of  every  means  within  his  power  to 
make  himself  more  worthy  the  calling.  While 
he  labors  earnestly  in  so  carefully  preparing  the 
matter,  he  should  not  neglect  the  manner  in 
which  that  matter  is  to  be  presented. 

In  the  Pennsylvania  Law  Journal  we  find 
the  following  thought  which  is  apropos  to  this 
subject.  "How  many  a  jur}^  has  thought  a 
speaker's  argument  without  force,  because  his 
manner  was  so ;  and  have  found  a  verdict 
against  law  and  against  evidence,  because  they 


IMI,IMT     KLOQITENCE.  197 

had  ])ccn  cliarnicd  into  delusion  by  the  potent 
fascinatit)n  of  some  ^j^ifted  orator." 

If  the  lawyer  can  use  this  power  in  the  de- 
fense of  wrong;  surely  the  minister  should  no ': 
hesitate  to  use  it  in  the  defense  o^ right. 

We  often  hear  the  objection  raised  that  rul.  s 
of  oratory  will  cramp  one  in  his  expressions. 
As  well  may  3-011  sa\'  that  the  rules  of  grammar 
interfere  with  the  fluency  of  speech.  Hence  we 
assert  that  "this  prejudice  against  the  study  of 
orator}'  is  as  unreasonable  as  the  prejudice 
against  the  study  of  grammar,  or  rhetoric,  or 
logic.  The  orator  need  be  no  more  troubled 
with  his  rules,  than  is  the  grammarian  who,  in 
conversation,  talks  correcth'  without  mentally 
parsing  every  sentence  he  utters." 

Wendell  Phillips  was  a  most  polished  speaker 
and  as  idl  know,  a  most  powerful  one.  When 
questioned  as  to  the  secret  of  his  ])ower  he  re- 
plied: — "It  is  the  burning  love  of  truth  in  my 
heart  that  must  come  out."  He  did  not  rely 
wholly  upon  his  native  pov^^er,  but  used  art  to 
enforce  the  truth,  yet  no  one  ever  saw  the  art. 


198  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

When  listening  to  his  eloquence.  You  could  but 
observe  his  quiet  manner,  and  would  wonder 
ofttimes  at  the  greatness  of  his  powder.  Try  to 
turn  from  him  when  he  was  thus  manifesting 
that  reserved  power  and  you  would  find  he  had 
woven  about  you  a  chain  so  subtle  and  ^-et  so 
strong,  that  you  were  held  as  if  entranced.  He 
seldom  gesticulated,  but  wdien  he  did  it  carried 
the  more  force  in  consequence  of  its  infrequency, 
and  the  thought  that  impelled  it.  When  he 
spoke  in  tones  of  sarcasm  in  his  bitter  denuncia- 
tions of  the  wrong  enacted  in  his  da^^  he  struck 
fearlessly  and  yet,  even  in  this,  he  used  his  art, 
for  he  never  did  his  work  clumsily  nor  did  he  use 
a  blunt  instrument,  but  he  stabbed  with  a 
stiletto.  He  said  what  he  meant  and  he  meant 
what  he  said. 

In  order  to  inspire  the  minister  to  greater 
zeal  in  his  grand  work  \ve  ^vill  cite  an  incident 
in  the  life  of  Lacordaire — once  well  known  in 
Paris. 

In  order  to  preach  a  most  effectual  sermon  on 
the  crucifixion   of   the   Savior,   he  had   a  rude 


PULPIT    Kl.OOl  KNCIv.  199 

cross  erected  in  tlie1)asemcnl  of  his  rectory.  To 
this  cross  he  attached  himself  and  remained  in 
solitary  thought,  suspended  eight  hours  He 
then  passed  directly  to  the  sanctuary'  without 
rest  or  nourishment,  and  delivered  one  of  the 
most  eloquent  and  tlirilling  discourses  ever 
heard  in  Notre  Dame. 

True,  this  was  for  an  unusual  occasion,  and 
he  chose  this  unusiud  jjreparation  in  order  to 
be  equal  to  the  occasion. 

There  are  various  ways  of  presenting  a  ser- 
mon.  One  may  be  obliged  to  use  his  manu- 
script, another  only  notes  or  a  skeleton,  another 
may  extemporize,  while  still  another  may  be 
gifted  as  a  memoriter.  Each  style  may  have  its 
special  points  of  excellence,  as  each  of  these 
avenues  of  expression  will  have  some  advan- 
tages, some  drawbacks. 

None  but  a  fluent  speaker  should  ever  try  to 
extemporize.  His  hesitation  is  much  more  ob- 
jectionable than  his  manuscript.  One  must 
draw  the  distinction  betAveen  ii^intj^  his  manu- 
script and  abusing  it.     The  speaker  should  at 


200  PULPIT    ELOQimNCE. 

least,  be  familiar  enough  with  it  not  to  be  en- 
slaved to  it. 

It  is  a  patient  and  forgiving  congregation 
who  will  listen  to  a  man  Avho  preaches  with 
down-cast  eyes.  No  gestures  should  be  made 
w^hen  the  eyes  are  not  free  from  the  manuscript. 

iVeither  gestures  nor  attitudes  should  be 
thought  of  at  the  time  of  making  them.  Pre- 
vious study  should  put  the  body  under  such 
joerfect  control  that  all  gestures  and  attitudes 
should  be  but  the  spontaneous  outburst  of 
nature.  Unless  one  is  graceful  by  natuie,  he 
should  be  made  so  by  art,  but  he  should  forget 
his  teaching  the  moment  he  steps  before  the 
public.  If  it  has  not  become  a  part  of  him, 
'twere  better  that  it  depart  from  him.  "The 
best  gestures  I  have  ever  known,"  says  one, 
"  are  those  I  did  not  perceive." 

Before  leaving  this  branch  of  our  subject  we 
desire  to  turn  the  Delsartean  telescope  upon  our 
good  patured  brother. 

By  this  grandest  of  all  systems  we  are 
brought  face  to  face  with  man  as  he  is.     Everv- 


PULPIT    ELOrjUENCE.  201 

man,  in  every  station  in  life,  possesses  a  three- 
fold nature, — the  mental,  moral  iind  vital.  A 
perfectly  developed  individual  is  a  rarit^^ ;  hence 
we  will  fmd  one  of  these  three  elements  pre- 
dominatinjj^. 

Thus  we  find  three  tyiJcs  of  ministers.  The 
mental  element  predominating  gives  us  a  cold, 
critical,  methodical  minister.  The  moral  ele- 
ment predominating  gives  us  the  warm  hearted, 
social,  congenial  minister.  The  vital  element 
predominating  gives  us  the  fiery,  robust, 
wide-awake,  broad-shouldered,  broad-natured 
minister. 

The  mental  minister  emerges  from  his  study 
in  a  cold,  intellectual  atmosphere,  as  if  he  had 
just  come  from  a  refrigerator,  and  he  gives  his 
people  facts, — cold,  stubborn  facts.  His  whole 
discourse  is  cold,  critical,  analytical,  lie  preaches 
from  the  head  and  he  jircachcs  to  the  head,  but 
he  is  the  t^'pical  minister  for  man}'  of  our  st^dish 
city  churches,  as  the  pastor  is  required  to  do  all 
the  thinking  and  all  the  praj'ing  and  the  people 
all  the  paying. 


202  PULPIT    ELOOUKNCE. 

Such  churches  never  swell  their  numbers 
unless  it  be  the  result  of  some  evangelist  who 
comes  along  for  the  good  of  the  cause,  and 
revives  the  pastor  and  the  people. 

These  mental  ministers  never  make  an}-  con- 
verts, for  that  requires  /jeart-work,  not  head- 
-work, and  heart-work  is  out  of  their  calibre. 

We  often  wonder  w^hat  such  a  minister  would 
do  if  he  were  to  stumble  over  a  convert.  It  is 
more  likely  the  convert  would  stumble  over  him. 

The  vital  minister  is  a  man  full  of  animal 
magnetism,  and  though  he  gets  many  an  erring 
one  to  forsake  his  evil  ways,  he  is  apt  to  rel^rtoo 
largely  at  times,  on  that  outward  strength,  in 
consequence  of  which,  sinners  are  driven  into 
the  fold,  and  the  result  is  not  always  desirable, 
for  men  thus  acted  iipon  have  a  re-action,  and 
they  leap  the  bounds  and  become  the  so-called 
moral  men  of  the  world. 

The  moral  minister;  /.  c,  the  heart  minister 
is  the  one  for  young  men  to  emulate.  Such  a 
one  has  more  or  less  of  the  vital  element.  Wt 
do  not  wish  to  be  tmderstood  as  speaking  dis- 


paragingly  of  the  vital  nature.  No,  indeed.  We 
admire  it,but  do  not  want  it  to  be  the  predomi- 
nating element. 

A  good,  l)ig  heart — big  ex])resses  so  much 
more  than  large — wants,  and  mUvSt  have  a  good 
hig  place  in  \vhich  to  live. 

The  moral  minister  is  one  who  !s  ever 
actuated  by  the  noblest  impulses  from  the  heart 
nature.  He  is  truh'  a  Christian;  /.  c,  CVhrist- 
like,  never  allowing  an  occasion  to  pass  b}- 
unheeded  if  good  can  be  done.  He  does  not 
confine  his  work  to  the  Sabbath  and  to  the 
church,  l)ut,  his  is  an  every-day  religion.  His 
preaching  takes  hold  of  men  and  keeps  ho'  \ 
of  them. 

Ever}'  minister  should  l)c  true  to  nature,  then 
he  may  be  said  to  be  truly  dramatic.  Art  is  an 
aid  not  a  hindrance  to  nature.  Every  child  is 
dramatic.  A  better  type  of  the  dramatic  never 
walked  the  earth  than  the  Savior;  no  man  ever 
spake  as  this  man.  The  term  drrimntic  is  often 
confounded  witli  tlie  term  theatrical,  hence  the 
prejudice  existing. 


,,04-  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

During  one  of  the  lecture  tours  of  the  late  John 
B.  Gough,  he  was  waited  upon  by  a  church 
committee — who  were  more  fastidious  than 
wise — and  was  requested  by  them  to  be  kind 
enough  to  avoid  his  usual  theatrical  manner,  as 
the  church-members  \vere  very  mtich  opposed 
to  any  such  mannerisms. 

Mr.  Gough  appeared  licfore  that  sedate 
audience ;  but  in  order  not  to  be  theatrical — as 
they  understood  the  term — he  avoided  being 
dramatic  as  he  understood  that  term,  hence 
v^as  not  natural.  He  stood,  or  tried  to  stand 
during  his  discourse,  perfecth^  still.  Just  im- 
agine such  a  nature  as  his  being  quiet  when 
he  was  speaking  on  the  subject  of  intemperance, 
and  especially  as  he  recalled  his  seven  years  of 
worse  than  Avasted  life.  There  he  stood  with 
his  whole  soul  on  fire,  and  sending  forth  such 
words  as  should  have  burned  their  \vay  into 
the  very  souls  of  his  hearers :  but  the  fire  was 
smothered,  because  he  was  restricted  in  his  soul- 
ful expressions. 

He  began  his  talk,  however,  with  his  arms 


PULPIT    ELOQUENCE.  2(>r> 

ajiparcntly  jjinioncd  to  his  side,  1)ut,  ever  and 
anon,  the  thought  would  try  to  express  itself 
other  than  vocally  and  his  arms  would  rise,  but 
as  quickly-  would  he  drop  them  as  he  thought  of 
his  admonition  by  that  committee.  We  will  en- 
deavor to  give  you  a  practical  illustration  of  a 
man  thoroughly  aroused  on  his  subject,  wholh' 
free  from  his  manuscript,  and  battling  with  his 
emotions  lest  thej--  should  assert  their  rights. 


This  was  Mr.  Gough's  attempt  to  avoid 
being  dramatic.  What  was  the  result?  His 
hearers  ^vere  disappointed  and  they  were  re- 
sponsible for  it.  He  did  not  sustain  the  fame 
that  had  preceded  him.  Not  long  after,  he  was 
requested  to  return  to  the  same  people  and 
repeat  his  lecture  by  giving  it  in  his  usual 
manner;  in  other  words,  they  were  anxious  to 
listen  to  John  B.  Gough,  for  even  when  he  was 
restricted  the}'  caught  a  glimpse  and  felt  the 
glow  of  the  latent  fire  that  burned  in  the  bosom 
of  that  eloquent  man. 


20P  PULPIT   ELOQUENCE. 

Let  as  encourage  true  dramatic  power,  and 
discourage  ail  vain  pomp  and  show.       ^ 

We  abominate,  from  the  very  bottom  of  our 
elocutionary  soul,  anything  that  approaches 
theatrical  mouthing  and  spouting  and  bluster, 
and  the  more  so  when  it  is  practiced  at  the 
sacred  desk.  On  the  other  hand  we  have  no 
defense  to  make  for  the  feeble,  sicklj^  silh^  mum- 
bling and  inefficiency  of  him  who  struts  his  little 
hour  in  the  pulpit  to  the  disgust  of  all  common- 
sensed  people;  and  above  all,  may  we  be  saved 
the  punishment  so  often  inflicted  upon  congre- 
gations who  are  obliged  to  listen  to  one  who 
pours  forth  his  strains  in  sanctimonious  meas- 
ure. Such  tones  are  false,  and  falseness  is 
mockery.  There  should  be  reverence  in  the  man. 
in  the  subject,  in  the  occasion.  Do  not  mistake 
the  term«  bathos  and  pathos. 

We  do  not  blame  the  public  for  being  preju- 
diced a.arainst  orator^^  and  elocution  when 
wrong  i'^.eas  are  inculcated  by  tneu  who  shovtirJ 
have  more  judgment. 

Within  a  few  weeks  it  was  our  paint al  pnv- 


PIXI'IT    KLOQIEXCE.  207 

ilege  to  listen  to  three  noted  divines  of  elocu- 
tionary and  oratorical  renown.  They  were 
men  of  high  positions  and  high  salaries.  We 
believe  in,  and  advocate,  true  elocution  ;  but  we 
believe  it  is  not  true  art  unless  it  places  the 
minister  back  of  the  truth.  He  should  stand 
behind  the  cross  and  let  it  complctel3'  o'er 
shadow  him. 

The  three  men  of  renown  to  whom  Ave  re- 
ferred, took  every  occasion  to  show  themselves, 
placing  themselves  by  their  profuse  and  mean 
ingless  gestures  and  attitudes,  or  motionSj 
where  they  seemed  to  say, — look  at  me  never 
mind  the  cross.  I  do  not  wish  to  impress  ur>'^ 
you  what  was  said,  but  that  /said  it. 

One  of  the  three,  fulh'  illustrated  this  facr 
for  he  impressed  us  with  the  idea  that  he  was 
desirous  of  having  all  the  congregation  know 
his  name,  lest  many  would  never  know  the 
great  personage  who  stood  l)efore  them,  and 
to  whom  the}-  had  the  honor  of  listening.  We 
had  not  long  to  wait  for  the  confirmation  of 
our  suspicions,  for  soon  the  minister  in  question, 


208  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

soared  awaj^  on  the  wings  of  oratory — not 
eloquence — and  when  he  had  reached  the  dizzy 
height  upon  which  was  enthroned  his  name,  he 
touched  it  as  if  by  a  magic  wand,  and  brought 
it  forth,  emblazoned  in  all  the  grandeur  and  the 
glory  of  self-illumination. 

Truly,  there  is  a  wide  distinction  between 
eloquence  and  oratory.  Every  minister  should 
make  of  himself  all  that  he  can  for  the  good  of 
the  cause,  but  should  not  use  the  cause  for  self 
exaltation.  Bishop  Andrews  in  a  recent  confer- 
ence in  Indiana  said :  "You  have  no  business  to 
be  a  bad  preacher.  Seize  some  fragment  of 
divine  truth  and  hold  it  in  3^our  mind  shaping 
it,  pondering  it,  until  you  can  present  it  from 
your  deepest  soul.  You  have  not  simply  to 
preach  the  truth,  you  must  preach  it  adroitly. 
State  felicitously  those  things  which  you  say, 
put  them  into  as  attractive  a  dress  as  jovl  can. 
The  teaching  man  must  be  a  knowing  man. 
Every  minister  should  be  like  a  most  perfect  and 
pellucid  glass,  through  which  one  sees  not  the 


PULPIT    ELOQUENCE.  209 

glass  nor  thinks  of  it,  hut  only  the  objects  at 
which  he  looks." 

A  minister  should  get  into  the  atmosphere  of 
his  work,  ere  he  attempts  to  breath  it  out  upon 
those  around  him.  We  would  like  to  write  this 
w^ord  before  every  hymn,  every  scripture  lesson, 
every  sermon. 

If  a  minister  is  kindly  spoken  to  by  some 
mcinber  of  his  congregation,  or  by  his  wife — or 
some  other  man's  wife — of  some  fault  that  is 
fixing  itself  upon  him  in  the  way  of  a  habit 
that  will  prove  detrimental,  he  should  receive 
such  admonition  with  thankfulness,  for  the 
habit  will  ever  assert  itself. 

A  president  of  a  theological  seminary  was 
giving  a  parting  word  to  a  class  of  seniors,  and 
he  illustrated,  unconsciously,  the  force  of  habit. 
He  said  :  "  I  desire  to  impress  upon  you  the 
necessity  of  great  care  concerning  habits  of  any 
kind  that  may  rob  you  of  your  power.  Should 
a  habit  fasten  itself  upon  j^ou  ere  you  are  aware 
of  its  detrimental  effect,  if  you  are  (Ictermined  to 
be  no  longer  enslaved  by  it,  you  need  not  be. 


210  PULPIT    ELOQUENCE. 

It  is  l3ut  necessary  to  employ  your  will,  for," 
said  he: — "I  speak  from  experience.  In  my 
younger  days  when  I  was  preaching  I  used  to 
have  the  habit  of  bringing  my  hand  down  on 
my  head  whenever  I  emphasized  a  word.  I 
resolved  to  quit  it,  and  I  did  quit  it  and  I've 
not  done  it  from  that  day  to  this."  (Bringing 
his  hand  unconsciously  down  on  his  head,  as  in 
days  of  yore.) 

Every  man  has  his  mannerisms,  and  the 
greatest  mistake  of  the  elocutionist  is  his  lack 
of  discrimination  in  his  endeavor  to  remove 
them. 

Many  a  naturally  good  speaker  has,  unfor- 
tunately, fallen  into  the  hands  of  an  inexper- 
ienced or  judgment-lacking  teacher,  in  conse- 
quence of  which  his  wings  are  clipped  with  the 
professional  shears,  and  he  can  no  longer  soar 
upon  the  \vings  of  eloquence;  whereas,  he  might 
have  been  an  eagle  in  the  oratorical  world. 

The  true  teacher  will  readily  discern  between 
the  mannerisms  that  are  a  power,  and  those 
that    are    at    all    detrimental.     Mannerism    is 


PIUIMT    ELOQUENCE.  iiik 

^jower,  and  the  more  marked  it  is,  the  more 
marked  is  the  individuality.  Mannnerisms 
should  be  natural  and  unstudied;  they  should 
belong  to  and  be  a  part  of  one's  self,  for  "  Bor- 
rowed mannerisms,  like  borrowed  garments 
seldom  fit."  What  is  beconmiing  in  one  man 
may  be  very  unbecoming  in  another. 

Make  the  very  best  of  what  you  have  and  let 
the  world  know  that  you  are  alive;  and,  when 
you  are  dead,  make  that  equally  apparent  by 
the  fact  of  being  missed. 

In  conclusion  let  us  urge  upon  all  ministers 
and  all  who  aspire  to  the  ministry',  that  greater 
importance  should  lie  placed  on  Bible  reading, 
hymn  reading  and  pulpit  eloquence.  Lose  not 
an  opportunit3',  nor  an  occasion  for  improve- 
ment. Cull  the  sweetness  from  every  flower 
along  your  pathway.  Take  into  3'our  life  all 
the  purity  and  strength  and  grandeur  of  which 
it  is  capable ;  then  let  your  sovd  expand  until  vts 
genial  rays  shall  be  felt  on  every  hand.  "  Reach 
out  and  touch  the  pulse  of  the  world  aboutyou, 
and  its  thrill  will  irive  vou  life  and  usefulness. 


1^ 


X 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  AT  LOS  ANGELES 

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